I Wanna Change
by daydreamer1008
Summary: I was just an ordinary Bleach otaku... that is until the day I died. Now stuck in the Bleach world, I have to help Ichigo in his quest to save Rukia. Easier said than done though, especially when a certain Wannabe God is after you and your ability to "see" the future. Realistic self-insert. No Mary-Sues. Rewritten.
1. Prologue

**Hello and welcome to my story, "I Wanna Change". Just a short note before I kick off this story, but there is another story on here called "Let's Do This" by the amazing and super nice **_**sisterawesomeness. **_**I have been getting a lot of PMs lately concerning plagiarism of my story and I want all readers to note that her story was inspired by ****mine. I have given her full permission to use some of my ideas in her story and I thank you all for the concern. Anyways, enjoy my story everyone~!**

* * *

**Prologue-Life**

Life

To those of us who know happiness and joy

We liken it to beauty

Life

To those of us who know pain and sadness

We liken it to ugliness

So then why... why is life so bittersweet?

The feeling of when a baby is born

The feeling of when a loved one dies

I think we've all experienced this before

When we question the enigma called Life

Is it a gift?

Is it a curse?

These questions will forever remain unanswered

Because they change all the time

To fit the daily occurrences in our own worlds

And then another question appears

That we have been asking ourselves for centuries

What place do we have in the world... in Life?

Why were we born?

Are we all really destined for greatness?

Or is it just a joke?

Are we all just aimlessly floating around like leaves in the wind?

Or are we meant to do something... somewhere... like a flower waiting to bloom?

Is it Fate?

Is it Destiny?

That rules our lives?

Or is it ourselves?

For us to decide?

Whatever it is, well, we all know that that's

**Life**

~daydreamer1008

* * *

_Hi there again everyone! Welcome to the prologue chapter of my story "I Wanna Change." This is my first story so please be patient with me. Also, this is **fan fiction** so if you don't like my interpretation of certain events, well then, too bad. If you don't like it then just don't read it. But if you want to though, you are more than welcome to make up your own story with your own ideas on what you would do if you went into Bleach. I totally encourage it and I would love to see more Bleach self-inserts here on FF. To me, they're really interesting and fun to read. Well... if they're done right of course. :)_

_Oh, and you are also more than welcome to take some of my ideas in this story to create your own self-insert. I know of two people who already did, so rock on guys! The first is called __**"Clorox"**__ by the lovely __**Kaymeleon**__. Unfortunately, her work has been removed from this site, for reasons even I do not know. The second (as stated above) is called __**"Let's Do This"**__ by the kind and awesome __**sisterawesomeness**__. Please check it out because it's awesome and very well written! I'm so happy that I was the catalyst in starting their own self-insert/OC stories! **Just note that I am the original author of some of the ideas that are used, thank you**. Lol By the way, if you are going to use some of my ideas, then please just remember to credit me in the process, okay? Great! ;)_

_Anyway, as I said before, this is my first story so please excuse any typos and such. Constructive criticism is appreciated. I want to make this story the best that I possibly can because this is for all you wonderful Bleach fans out there. Chapters 1-14 have all finally been rewritten. I have rewritten the entire story to make it even more realistic and believable than the original. I believe that I have made progress when I first started and I am very happy for that and for all the people who have supported me for making this possible. I do have an outline of where this story is going so it will not be random._

_Please bear with me if Jenny seems a bit Mary-Sueish at times. I will try my best to keep away from that area because Mary-Sues absolutely annoy me. But this is just to show that Jenny is only human and can make mistakes. Anyway, if you see anything wrong with my story, then please review/PM me so I can fix them right away. But please, tell me what I did wrong in a positive and respectful way. That would be much appreciated by me since I will not take flames. They will used to burn marshmellows and I will enjoy them immensely so don't even go there. Thanks so much for supporting this story guys! Rock on!XD_


	2. If Today Was Your Last Day

******************************About OC**

**Name: Jenny Kadaline (Ka-da-leen)  
**

**Fake name when in disguise: Ichigo Momosaki**

**Age: 15 (16 in later chapters)**

**Eyes: Brown**

**Hair: Shoulder length Dark Brown with golden blonde highlights**

**Height: 5'2'' (5'4'' in later chapters)**

**Weight: 123 lbs**

**Race: Human/Soul Reaper?**

**Nationality: Half Thai, Half Polish**

**Skin: White  
**

**Zanpakuto: ? (for now at least)**

**Powers: Can Shunpo and do a couple Kido spells as of recently**

**Likes: Candy, Hanging out with friends, Being in the norm, Going on FF, Sleeping in late  
**

**Hates: Her Life, Stress, Pressure, School, Family Arguments, Not being cool/embarrassing herself in front of others**

**Personality: Kind, Caring, Trustworthy, VERY loyal to her friends, Seems quiet and shy but when given the chance she will do whatever it takes to protect her friends, Tends to over-think things when nervous and strives to do whatever she thinks is best for her friends even if it means putting herself in danger  
**

**Favorite Anime: Bleach**

**Favorite Characters: Toshiro, Ichigo, Byakuya, Gin, Renji, Grimmjow, Rukia, Momo, Rangiku, Izuru, Ukitake, Urahara, Yoruichi, Stark, Ulquiorra, Halibel**

**Wishes: To go into Bleach and share their adventures**

_Hi there, this is just some information about my OC. Yes, it is updated to fit the story-line where it's at right now which is Chapter 14, "Talking with the Head Captain". There will be a bit of a spoiler in the beginning that deals with Gin, so please skip over it if you don't already know. Anyways, enjoy!:)  
_

* * *

**********************Chapter 1-If Today Was Your Last Day  
**

Some people think that when they die they automatically go to Heaven. Well that definitely wasn't the case for me. When I died, I entered the Bleach world. How? I don't know. Why? I don't know. But what I _do_ know is that God has forsaken me and that He has left me here to fend for myself in this horrible predicament.

Well, I guess it was my fault for ending up in this hell hole. I was stupid and careless. I was always worried about changing the plot-line and yet here I was stuck in Las Noches, awaiting my fate. Not to mention the fact that I was the _only_ human here. That was _not_ supposed to happen. True, I did expect that I would get kidnapped along with someone else, but... that didn't happen.

I had messed up, big time. Yup, I totally screwed the plot-line over just by existing in this world and my decision would decide its fate. The information I gave the others would be absolutely useless if I opened my mouth to _him, _to _Aizen_.

He had given me a proposal. Either give him the information he needed or die. It was as simple as that. But this time, unlike with Orihime, it would be completely different.

There would be no rescue for me. No Ichigo or the other Captains to storm into Hueco Mundo and save me. Why, you ask? Because to them, I had never left. To them, I had never been kidnapped. They wouldn't, no couldn't, know the difference between the real me and that _thing_ that was currently residing in the World of the Living.

_It_ was currently residing in Urahara's shop, laughing and playing the part of the innocent girl that was supposed to be me while I was in this hell hole called Hueco Mundo, fearing for my life.

Why couldn't the others tell the difference then? Surely they would easily know when an imposter was in their midst, right? The answer was no.

Courtesy of Szayel, which of course was due to Aizen, he made a special gigai and artificial soul for me. Ever since Aizen found out about my ability to "see the future", he had taken many precautionary measures. He _knew_ I would tell the Soul Society all that I could in order to help them win the war. And _that_ was why he created this set-up. I was officially screwed now.

You see, this artificial soul or gikongai was created to duplicate my spiritual pressure, as well as my personality, down to the tiniest, minute detail. Everything from my way of speech, to my eating habits, and to how I thought.

That _thing_ was now living _my_ life as Jenny Kadaline. As far as I was concerned, this was no trivial matter. During the short time I had met _it_, I was absolutely astonished to find no flaws whatsoever in _its_ appearance and reactions. It was like looking at a mirror image of myself. And that was _not_ good, not good at all.

Damn that bastard Aizen to hell! How dare he do such a thing! My only hope was that the others would realize they were being fooled and come rescue me in time. Yeah right! That was just wishful thinking.

I seriously thought I was ready to die again. I thought I would gladly give up my life to protect my friends if anything bad were to ever happen. After all the training I'd gone through... I really thought I was ready to help them win the Winter War. I had no trouble with it when I had my spiritual powers and zanpakuto with me. I had always fought alongside Ichigo and the others without hesitation... well at first there was but I got the hang of it soon after.

Now... now my powers and zanpakuto have been sealed away, leaving me completely useless and vulnerable. And now... my stupid, selfish fear of dying at the hands of the enemy, of _him_, was enough to make me rethink my resolution. Seems pretty cowardly, huh?

I was ashamed of myself at the moment. How could I have let this happen? I should have tried harder to conceal my presence and work in the shadows when I first arrived here... in Bleach. But the excitement and knowledge I possessed stopped me from doing that.

Now there was only one person that could remotely save me, who was actually kind to me during my time here at Las Noches. The rest of them either ignored me or pestered me because I was human. Of course they were under strict orders not to kill me until Aizen told them to, which wouldn't be that far away now if I refused his offer.

I do admit that the one who wanted to help me had a somewhat difficult time trusting me in the beginning, but that changed once he realized I truly wanted to help him. Because of that he had grown fond of me in the short amount of time we spent together. He knew that I knew what his true goal was. For that he was willing to call me his friend and do whatever it took to save me since I was going to help him achieve his goal. That person... was Gin.

Yes, _Gin_. Gin Ichimaru, ex-Captain of Squad 3. He was the one I could trust with my life, but... it still wasn't enough to reassure me from what was only moments away; my doom.

He told me to keep quiet and deal with whatever Aizen would throw at me. That would probably include torture considering just _who_ we're talking about here. In the meantime, he would be plotting an escape route.

Yeah right, easier said than done! Right now, I was literally shaking in fear. True, I had gained a lot of experience during these past couple of months, but... I was still human and had feelings of fear. I mean, wouldn't you if you were in my shoes?

If Ichigo were here, he would have no hesitation in giving up his life to protect his friends. He would keep the information to himself and would never tell Aizen about it.

But I wasn't Ichigo. I would never _be_ Ichigo. He was a natural born hero. I on the other hand was an ordinary human, just like you. I had a normal life, a normal family. I loved watching anime and went on Fanfiction constantly. I went to school. I had a couple of friends I trusted with my life. It's true that I was a bit fed up with my life in the beginning, but as time went on I learned I was partially wrong to think that.

I never expected to land in one of my favorite animes and live the adventures with them. Sure, I did dream about it sometimes, but for it to become a reality? No way! I also never expected to gain so much more wisdom that only those who have seen battle could get. And I _never_ expected to be here waiting outside the door to _Aizen's_ throne room, making the _biggest_ decision I would ever make in my _entire_ life here in this world or even in my past life.

But... I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe I should start at the beginning of the story. I'm pretty sure that most of this doesn't make sense to you... not yet at least. Let's see, where to begin? Ah, I know! Let's start at the day I died, the day... that everything in my world had **_changed_**.

* * *

**Beep Beep Beep!**

The alarm clock sounded as I reached over to shut it off sleepily. As I grabbed it, I looked at the time: 7:10 A.M.

"Holy Shit! Damn it! I'm late!"

I tore the covers off and quickly went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I came back to my room to change into my school uniform. It was so stupid! We had to wear freaking skirts, and it was fall right now. I could tell that it would be getting colder and I dreaded the idea of wearing a skirt throughout the winter. I didn't really like the cold. I preferred summer over any of the other seasons. But nevertheless, I was ready in a record-breaking 10 minutes while racing out the door with my backpack.

"Bye Mom!"

"Bye! Keep up your grades and have fun at school, okay?"

"Okay mom! I will!"

_Ha! Like I'll ever have fun at school._

I scoffed and continued onto the sidewalk. It wasn't that long to get to my school on foot so I guess I didn't need to worry about being late. I just needed to run most of the way there. I panted as I paused before looking both ways like a good little citizen, then crossed the street when I found that there were no cars around.

I absolutely dreaded going to school. The very thought made me sick to my stomach. If it weren't for rational reasons like getting a good job in life, I would have skipped school altogether. I mean, who wouldn't? School's such a pain in the ass. If anybody told me they liked going to school, I would have looked at them with a WTF expression and asked them if they were alright in the head.

I guess some can argue that school isn't too bad. Yeah, you get to see your friends and hang out with them, but aside from that it just sucks. Maybe you have a different opinion than me, but I have good reason to hate school. You see, I come from a family that's very strict when it comes to school. I live with my mom and aunt and both of them grew up in Hong Kong.

As you all probably know, people from Asia have very high-set standards for education. When I asked my mom about what she did over the summer in Hong Kong when she was little, she said that she did homework. And not just summer reading, mind you. It was homework for all the subjects she took during the school year. That meant about eight subjects. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked. All I had to do was read two books and that was it. Now I realize things might be different nowadays so I'm sorry if I have offended you out there. This is just speaking from my own personal experience.

What I'm trying to say is that my mom likes to push those standards onto _me_. I know it might be selfish and bratty to say this but first of all mom, we are _so_ not in Hong Kong anymore. This is freaking America so please at least lighten up a bit. Second, just because you had a hard time with your education and childhood doesn't mean that I have to also. I already know that I have to do a good job in school otherwise I'd be doomed in this world. But she's constantly at my back telling me to keep up my grades and all that stuff.

What's worse is that I freak out if I have too much pressure on me. I'm not the type of person that can handle stress well. My mom is the complete opposite though. She's social and popular and can deal with pressure like it's no big deal. She probably thinks that I can handle it too since I'm her daughter and all, but unfortunately this is who I am. I can't be like her since I'm my own person, an individual who is unique in her own special way.

But geez, mom! Just back off a little! I have certain standards for myself too, you know? That's what I really want to say to her but I can never find enough courage to do so. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up. The constant pressure of keeping straight A's all the time, the bickering of my parents, the usual routine of waking up to go to school only to come back and do my homework. Then to have it repeat all over again. I absolutely hate it!

I really wish I could be someone else, like Ichigo in Bleach. I would love to fight Hollows and be in on the scene. Going to Soul Society, meeting my favorite characters, and fighting off bad guys... yeah right, in my dreams! But a little part of me wishes that I could. And I'm pretty sure that those of you that are reading this have felt this way too. To defy the laws of reality and go along on the adventures of your favorite characters be it book, movie, or T.V. show.

"...enny! Jenny, wait up!"

I looked around and smiled as my friend Taylor came up beside me, her backpack slung over her shoulder and her IPod Touch in hand.

"Hey girl! What's up?" she asked. I slowed my pace so that she could catch her breath.

"Haha, nothing much. What about you?"

"Nah, same here. There's really nothing going on these days for some reason."

"Yup, that's true."

We both giggled and hugged each other. Even though we had only known each other for about 2 months, she was one of the only ones I could talk to. Mostly because we both loved anime.

We had met at an incoming freshman party and we were both on our own at the time. But when it was time to eat, we just so happened to sit next to each other and introduced ourselves. She gave me her nickname which was Tohru and I immediately asked if she knew Fruits Basket. She smiled and said yes and well, I guess the rest is history. We instantly became friends and after a while we started hanging out with others who shared the same interest in anime... but that took some time though.

Seriously, it's like whenever we ask someone if they know anime, they give us this weird expression that says they have no clue what it is. Needless to say, I was relieved when I found a couple of people that I could talk to.

"Oh hey, what time is it anyway?" I asked as she checked her IPod Touch.

"It's 7:30. We still have about 10 minutes left." I nodded my thanks and sighed in relief since we were more than halfway there.

"Hey, what are you listening to?" I questioned her as she took out her earpiece.

"If Today Was Your Last Day by Nickleback."

"Seriously? Oh my God! I love that song! Can I listen to it too?"

"Haha, sure! Of course you can!" She handed me the earpiece she wasn't using and I put it in my ear. I walked a bit closer to her so I wouldn't pull the earphones off of us.

"You got it?" she asked, looking at me.

"Yup!"

"Okay then," she nodded. She pressed the replay button and the song started from the beginning.

**My best friend gave me the best advice  
He said each day's a gift and not a given right  
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind  
And try to take the path less traveled by  
That first step you take is the longest stride  
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?  
Would you live each moment like your last  
Leave old pictures in the past?  
Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?  
What if, what if, if today was your last day?  
**

We were singing the lyrics and listening to the beat. As the song ended, I felt depressed but shook it off. Why should I be depressed about a song anyway? It's not like it was connected to me in any way, shape, or form... right? Our school came into sight as we exchanged glances. We started laughing for no reason as I handed her back the earpiece. She put it away in her backpack, making sure to see if it was completely turned off. Then we entered the building and waved goodbye to each other, going our separate ways.

* * *

The day went by quickly, much to my amazement. Today felt like it was faster for some odd reason. It was probably because of the time I spent with Taylor in the morning. That was a major highlight which made my mood so much better than it was on regular, oridinary days. That, plus it was lunchtime. I was totally starving!

"Hey guys!" I took out my lunch as I said that, sitting in my usual spot at the table. It was the first table on the left side so when you entered the room we would be one of the first people you would see in the lunchroom.

"Hey Jenny, what's up?" Taryn asked. Taryn was my other best friend who loved anime. She was totally into yaoi, as was I, and she loved writing and going on FF just as much as I did. I smiled and answered her question.

"Nothing much. I just hate Mrs. Railey though."

"Doesn't everyone? She doesn't even teach anything," she scoffed while shaking her head in disgust.

"Uh huh, I don't even know what the hell she's saying half the time. Seriously, I try to pay attention but I just can't get her at all. She doesn't even teach well. I hate her. She doesn't deserve my respect after what I've seen. Why the hell should I pay attention to her when she doesn't even pay attention to me or the rest of the students in her class? Ugh! High school sucks. I want to go back to middle school..."

Before I could continue my rant though my other friend Steven, who also loved anime, came by and sat down. Taylor followed soon after as we all smiled and said hello. Then we started talking about random things. That is... until someone brought up the subject of going over to Taryn's house to hang out. Cue depression mode.

"Ugh!" I put down my sandwich and slumped down into my seat. Depression clouds rolled off me and everyone stopped what they were doing to see what was wrong.

"Jenny, are you alright?" Taryn asked. I shook my head yes and forced myself to smile.

"Nothing. I just can't come over, that's all."

"Huh, why?" Taylor cut in, looking at me curiously.

"I just can't. I have to go home and study for my math test tomorrow. My mom would freak on me if she knew I went to Taryn's house instead of sitting at home and frying my brains over quadratic equations that hate me."

"Ouch, that sucks," Steven said as he winced at my pain.

"I know, right?" I sighed, rolling my eyes. Suddenly the lunch bell rang. We gathered our things and threw away our lunches as we went back to our separate classes. I thought to myself on the way to Physics. I had no idea why my mom wouldn't let me go over to Taryn's house. I mean, my friends were okay. They weren't like those popular people who think they're all that. Ugh... with their designer purses, make up, and shoes. I hate those kinds of people so much! They think they know everything and they thrive on making others feel miserable. I'm saying this because I had a few run-ins with them in the past. Let's just say it didn't end well... at all.

But my friends were totally normal, unlike me. No, I wasn't a supernatural being. Ha! I wish! I was just way behind the times. It was because of my mom. She was so old-fashioned, not to mention old-schooled! She didn't give a damn about what was in or out. And because of that I was the one who had to suffer for it. Whenever I tried to say something, it made me look so uncool because it was so out-dated. I hated it and I envied all my friends with their freedom to do things that I could never do in a million years. I wasn't even allowed to go outside the house, not even to the corner of the street. That's how overprotective she was and I hated it with my entire being. And that same old excuse that I give my friends whenever they ask me to hang out with them.

"Hey, you wanna go shopping?" Or "Hey, you wanna go to the park with us?"

"No, I can't. I have homework and my mom won't let me."

Ugh! That "my mom won't let me" crap. It sucks! I couldn't dwell on it any longer since my Physics teacher walked in and started telling us to put our homework on his desk. I sighed, getting my notebook out.

_Ugh! Here we go again._

* * *

**Bring! Bring!**

The school bell sounded as the students shuffled out off the classroom. I inwardly cheered as I raced down the hallway to my locker. I could see some teachers waving goodbye to their students as they smiled at them. I knew that it would be short-lived since they had mountains of homework to grade from today and the day before.

It must suck to be a teacher. All those problems like keeping troublemakers in check and grading papers. But then again, who am I to say that? I'm not a teacher, just a regular 15 year old girl who hates my life in this world. When I got to my destination I saw all my friends crowding around talking to each other. I smiled at them and opened my locker, ignoring what they were saying about what they were going to do at Taryn's house.

I had no business in it since I wouldn't be there anyway. It would only make me envy them more. I was definitely not in the mood since all my teachers from every single freaking class decided to give us homework. Usually one of them would give us some slack but not today it seemed. Ugh... just great.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as blood welled up on my finger.

"You okay, Jen?" Taylor asked, concerned as I sucked the blood off my finger

"Yeah... just a paper cut. Nothing too serious," I glared at my locker before slamming it shut with a huff. I turned to my friends to say goodbye.

"See ya later, guys!"

They waved back as I slid my backpack over my shoulders and walked out the door. I reached into my bag to get my IPod Touch. I did have my own in case you were wondering, but was just too lazy to get it out earlier. That's why I just listened to Taylor's instead.

I finally saved enough money to get one and asked my dad to buy it for me. He's the cool one, by the way. He grew up here in America so he's always trying to make my mom lighten up on me. He knows what I'm going through right now and I was totally glad that someone was on my side. We had a long debate and my mom finally allowed me to get one because of my good grades. At least now I had something that was in style. I selected the song "Change" by Miwa and started walking home. I hummed the tune as I thought to myself.

Oh God! My grades, my stupid, stupid grades! I just got a B- on my Science test and if I showed that to my mom, she'd start yelling at me. She's such a stickler for the rules and for school. Always up in my business saying 'don't do this' and 'don't do that.' I hated that so much! I mean, wouldn't you if you were in my position?

My life is such a drag! Please God, please. Just this once, if not for a moment, _change my life_! I...**"I Wanna Change." **The song ended as I stopped to grab my keys out of my pocket and went to open the door.

* * *

Did you ever get that feeling when you know something dreadful is going to happen and you don't know what it is? Well, this was one of those moments and I knew it as soon as I walked into the house. I noticed my mom sitting on the couch reading a letter and gulped a little bit. She would normally smile and say hello as soon as I came back from school so this was extremely odd to say the least. Setting my backpack down, I decided to take the initiative of saying hello. Instead of responding back, she just ignored me.

"Now that's just plain rude," I grumbled sourly, shaking my head in disapproval.

"Jenny, come over here for a second," Mom said after a few moments of silence.

"Uh sure, what's wrong?" I was feeling a bit anxious at that point. When something like this happens, you immediately start thinking the worst of things. At that exact moment my mind was leaning towards the 'okay... who just died?' worst case scenario.

"This"

She handed me the paper and I saw it was a printout of my grades so far. I looked down at it, then back up to her sullen face, then back down, and finally back up to her face again. My mind was racing and I was sweating bullets on the inside. I don't think you guys realize how scary my mom can get when she's angry. Oh, my ass was so screwed.

I'm sure some of you can relate to this. Having a parent look at your progress report in which you know wasn't exactly your best. Yeah, then having to see their disappointed faces and then... facing their wrath of ultimate doom. But of course, I totally forgot that my school had an online checking system of students' grades and that you could print them out if you wanted to.

_Damn Edline! Go to Hell! Why do you have to do this to me right now?  
_

"Uh yeah, mom, I can totally explain..."

"No buts! How could you? I thought you said you studied for that test! The agreement was that I would get you that _thing_ that cost 200 bucks in exchange for keeping your grades up!" she yelled, furiously shaking the paper in the air in front of me, almost crumpling it in the process.

"I know and I did, but..." I tried to explain again but was cut off.

"Well obviously it wasn't good enough. Jenny listen, this is for your own good! You're going to be in college real soon. You have to be at the top of your class in order to get into the top ten universities!"

"Mom, that's like four years from now! Come on! I just started high school! Give me a freaking break already! I'm doing the best that I can! Isn't that good enough for you!" I was visibly shaking, my fists clenched together. At that point, I was ready to punch the living daylights out of her and I didn't care what she would do to me afterwards. This was it. I'd had _enough_. She looked like she was going to retort, but this time I was the one who cut her off.

"You know what mom, whatever! I'm done! I'm tired of school and of you telling me what to do! I'm out of here!" I cried as I turned around, picking up my backpack along the way.

"Wait! Come back here! We aren't done yet!" Mom screeched, her eyes wide to an impossible degree. I would have laughed if this were any other situation... but it wasn't. This was something I had never done before and I seriously couldn't believe I did it. I actually felt damn proud standing up for myself like that. Why the hell didn't I do this earlier? It felt kind of good to get all my bottled-up feelings off my chest. Though I guess I could have handled it a bit better.

I didn't wait to hear the rest as I raced out the front door, tears streaming down my face. If only she had listened to me for once instead of yelling, then this never would have happened! I ran as fast as I could over to my best friend Kaylee's house. She would know what to do. She was the one I trusted the most and she always understood me and what I was going through. We had been best friends since kindergarten and she lived just two blocks down from me. She was the first friend I ever made and that was something really special to me.

While I was running, I suddenly remembered what I thought about earlier in the morning. About how cool it would be to go into Bleach and just live out their adventures. Now I seriously wished it would happen. Just to escape my horrible life. I couldn't take it anymore. The pressure and everything else was just too much. It felt like I was suffocating and I just wanted out, at least for just a little while. I rubbed my eyes to get my tears out of the way. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't see the car until it was too late. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as the car came towards me, my eyes widening as a silent scream erupted from my throat.

**Screeeeeech! Bam! **

Pain and sheer terror was all I registered as I was sent spiraling into the air, the wind knocked out of me. Then I came back down to earth full force. My body hit the ground with a sickening splat. My head was spinning and white stars filled my vision. It was all blurry and red was everywhere... on my hands, my feet, my clothes, the pavement, the car. I thought I heard people screaming and sirens going off in the background. I tried to speak but found I couldn't. The blood in my throat was making it impossible to do so. I chocked on a sob and let my tears fall freely onto the sidewalk, groaning in pain.

_This is it, huh? My life is over. Imagine that. No more stress, no more school, no more anything. And yet, why do I feel so unhappy? This is what I wanted after all. I wanted to escape my life and I guess death was my way out. Who knew? Heh, I should have known that this was the only way out. So then... why do I feel so stupid and useless right now? Why? Ugh, it hurts so much!_

I winced as searing pain washed over my entire body. I thought of my life so far and remembered what I wanted to be when I grew up. A voice actress for anime... that was my dream. And it was going to be so cool too! But... I couldn't do that now. Not anymore. I heard someone saying hang in there, but it was all so faint. I could barely feel them holding me and I knew that my time in this world was almost up. I smiled sadly and took one last breath, letting it out slowly.

_Goodbye World._

That was the last thing I thought as I slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Tite Kubo does. Just to let you guys know, do **not** take everything you read too seriously. I say this and will keep on saying that this is **fan**** fiction** and that some information in this story is **completely false**. True, some of my personal life is mixed up in here but most of it isn't true at all. For one thing, I love my life right now and I wouldn't give it up for the world.  
_

_Whew! I'm glad I got that off my chest. Sorry to all those who actually liked my story and didn't complain about it like some people. Well, in all actuality it was more like one person. Still, I'm not naming names but I'm pretty sure you know who he/she is by now. Anyway, this is the rewritten chapter so I hope you guys enjoyed this even more! A lot of the content is the same but I just added more details to it to make it more interesting. Also, thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter! Please review! Thank you guys so much and I'll see you next time! Bye!XD_


	3. Waking up in the Soul Society

**Chapter 2-Waking up in the Soul Society**

_**'Wake up little one. Wake up. They'll be here soon. You can't afford to miss them. It's almost time,'**_ a young girl's voice called out to me. I twitched and stirred from where I was sleeping.

"Huh?" I groaned as I tried to sit up, squinting my eyes from the sun that was streaming through the trees.

"Oh, ouch! That hurts! What the hell just happened, where am I, and who are you?" I looked around to confront the girl, but she was already gone. That was weird. The voice sounded like it was coming from inside my mind. Was she real, or was she just a figment of my imagination?

_Oh shit! I'm going mental! Nooooooo!_

After a few minutes of spazing out, I finally came to my senses and noticed my surroundings. There was a clear blue sky and white clouds overhead. I was sitting in a patch of grass in what seemed like a forest. Then I looked behind me and saw a clearing not too far away. I could make out a road and realized that there might be people living nearby.

_Hmm, stay stuck in a forest without food or water or try to find civilization? Yup, I vote for the latter!_

I slowly stood up. My body swayed from the impact of getting hit by a car as I walked quietly towards the opening.

"Wait a minute! How the hell am I still alive?"

Most of my injuries, which included broken bones, had healed. I was left with only a couple of bruises. Considering I still had those bruises, I could conclude that I was indeed hit by a car and died. I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. I mean, wasn't this supposed to be Heaven? Why the hell would I land in a forest after dying?

_Am I really in Heaven? Where exactly am I? This can't be Heaven! Where are the bright lights? I thought Heaven was supposed to be filled with music and happiness? Because right now, my body hurts like hell and I feel like absolute crap!_

I sighed disappointingly. If this was Heaven, then it was a far cry from what I had imagined and what other people made it out to be. I was clearly unimpressed. I mean seriously, come on! A forest in the middle of nowhere? Well, maybe not nowhere, but still, you get the idea.

"This is Heaven? Bullshit! What a complete rip-off! I want my money back people! This sucks!"

I stomped the rest of the way over to the clearing, parting the bushes to step onto the road. I stopped immediately as I got a clear look of where I was, shocked as I noticed the buildings and walls. They were lined up on either side of me, but what caught my attention was that they were built in a style that I was very familiar with. The arrangement of the buildings and walls, how tall they were, their styles, as well as the pavement that I was on. All of them mimicked the workings of an Edo-period based environment. The buildings and walls were made out of stone. So was the pavement. The roofs on top were slanted and fitted with tiles that resembled something like the feudal people in China had.

I continued to walk after getting over my shock, completely forgetting my anger not too long ago. More and more, the surroundings were beginning to look exactly like the ones in Bleach. Suddenly, I heard voices and they sounded like they were getting closer. I ducked into a bush and waited for whoever it was to appear.

"Man! That really gave me quite a scare!" a man said as he walked with a group of his friends.

_Let's see. One...Two...Three...Four. There are four of them judging by their footsteps and voices. If worse comes to worse, I'll just have to fight them if they become my enemies. But before that, I guess I should ask them for help._

I did take some self-defense lessons for occasions like these. If they tried anything, they would be dead before they knew it. Well, they were already dead to begin with so it wouldn't really matter. But still, you get my point. Don't mess with me unless you want to get your ass kicked. Of course, I wasn't a super ninja or anything. I just knew enough to defend myself. Definitely not enough to stop an army of people, but decent enough though. I took a deep breath and started to stand, ready to introduce myself, and gasped. I quickly dropped back down and stayed there, completely still.

_Their clothes! Oh my God, their clothes!_ That went on and on in my mind as I peered out at them. Those men were wearing Soul Reaper uniforms!

_But...that's impossible! I can't have...but then again, I did die, so it's plausible._ I didn't get a chance to continue as one of the men said something to the first one that spoke.

"What did?" The others audibly gaped at him as soon as those words left his mouth.

"Y-You're joking, right Kantaro?" one of them stuttered.

"No I'm not, Shisui," the one who I assumed was Kantaro said pointedly.

"You mean you really don't know?" the other who I also assumed was Shisui asked.

"No, I don't! I was in the sick bay unconscious! I was attacked by a Hollow while patrolling the Rukon District so of course I don't know! Now what the hell happened while I was out!" Kantaro threw his hands up during his little rant. He was getting frustrated at his friends which, in all due respect, was acceptable. I mean, his friends were making such a big deal out of whatever happened and he had no idea why.

_Sheesh, what the hell could be so important that has everyone freaking out about it?_

Now normally, I would have the left the conversation at that, but I chose to stick around for a little while more. I would have been a fool to give this up. This was free information here so I sure as hell would take advantage of that. It would also probably help me figure out why the hell they looked like Soul Reapers and why everything around here looked like it just came out of a Bleach set. I really hoped I wasn't getting punk'd. This seemed far too elaborate and real to say it came out of a convention staged to trick people. I hate it when people try to make fools out of other people.

"Um well you see... just a couple of days ago, a bunch of intruders were spotted just outside of West Rukon. There was a huge alert issued and we were all rushing to our posts. It seems like they were trying to get to the Seireitei through the West Gate," another one who hadn't said anything yet, answered him.

"Are you serious Hikaru? And I slept through all that?"

"Yup, but there's more. One of them, the leader I suppose, went up against Jidanbo and _won_," the last one who hadn't spoken added.

"What! Against Jidanbo? And _won_? No freaking way Ikuto!" Kantaro cried out incredulously.

"Yes way! And that's not all. Captain Ichimaru of Squad 3 also confronted the Ryoka too."

"Whoa! A Captain going up against the Ryoka? There's no way they'd survive that!"

"But rumor has it that they _did_ survive," Hikaru replied. Kantaro gasped as the others chattered away excitedly as I tuned them out.

_So the attempt to enter the Seireitei through West Rukon failed, huh?_

I was starting to think that this was really real. If what happened was true, which was just a couple of days ago, then that would give Ichigo and Co. plenty of time to go to Kukaku's house and get ready. That would also mean that their second attempt to enter the Seireitei would happen very soon. Like right now for instance. Maybe that's what that girl was trying to tell me in the forest.

As if to confirm my thoughts, an alarm rang out throughout the entire area. The banging of a piece of wood with gravel signaled that something was up. And I knew exactly what that _something_ was.

"Red Alert, Red Alert! Intruders in the Seireitei! The Seireitei has been breached! I repeat, the Seireitei has been breached! All Squads report to battle stations!"

I knew then that this wasn't just a dream. This was **real**. **I** was in the **Soul Society**. And that **I** was in **Bleach**. And that I was in the time right about when Ichigo saves Rukia from getting executed. The Soul Society Arc if you will. I also knew for a fact that I somehow came over here with no konso when I had died. I didn't remember anyone konsoing me, at least I don't think. Well, it didn't matter anyway.

_Ichigo and company should be nearing the SS barrier right now._

The four men near me rushed to their battle positions. I stayed right where I was though. It was too risky going out at the moment since everyone was running around like crazy, wondering what exactly was going on. I didn't even need to wait too long. Right after that, I saw this huge ball of somewhat transparent white energy coming, and what looked like, straight at me. I could hear shouts and orders from fellow Soul Reapers and I knew that they were speaking English because I could understand them perfectly.

Or wait, maybe they were speaking Japanese and I somehow got the ability to understand them. Things like that happened all the time when people from the real world, our world if you will, somehow ended up stuck in one of their favorite animes. And it isn't that hard to believe either since this world was actually fantasy. Anything could happen here so why not somehow gaining the ability to speak and understand another language too? Either way, I'd have to find that out later. I stood in awe as I watched Ichigo and Co. crash into the barrier field.

**Bang!**

It was heard all over Seireitei as it created lots of light from the impact. I could imagine what was going on inside of the Seki-Seki Ball where Ichigo was and all over the Seireitei too. I knew all their lines and expressions and cursed Aizen for trying to act innocent in front of the others. What a liar! A big fat bastard of a liar! Urgh! I hated him so much! I knew I had to do something to stop things from happening all over again. But what could I do and how exactly would I do that?

"Well, I could try to help Ichigo, for starters, with some of his fights and try to warn him," I mumbled, furrowing my brows together.

_Would that really help him and the others though? I guess it could, considering that a lot of the bad things could be avoided. And then I could talk to the other Captains individually. But they probably wouldn't let me get close to them. Scratch that, I __**know**__ they wouldn't let me. I need a disguise first in order for this to work!_

By the time I was done thinking, there were 4 streaks of light heading in different directions towards the ground. I knew that they would be alright but then I realized that one was heading in my direction.

_Please let that be Ichigo so I can help him._

I got up and ran to where one of them had crashed. While running, I saw a couple of Soul Reapers heading my way who were trying to catch up with their Squad. I hid behind one of the alleyways and found that there were only two of them, which I was really happy for. Just like Orihime had done, I rushed out and fought them with everything I had. The two didn't even know what hit them, the poor girls.

_Thank God for those self defense lessons I took! They're actually starting to pay off!_

I wiped off the sweat on my brow. Unlike Orihime and Uryu, I took one of the girl's clothes _and_ zanpakuto. I left the other one alone since I only needed one uniform. I didn't want to make the same mistake they did when they happened to get caught by Mayuri. I knew better since I watched so many episodes before. No real Soul Reaper would leave their sword behind, especially in a situation like this. Unless of course you were a Ryoka who was trying to pretend to be a Soul Reaper and who had no idea how things worked.

I smirked, chuckling as I put on 'my' uniform. Oh yes, I knew exactly how things worked and that would be to my advantage. I had everything under control here. I was seriously thankful that I knew so much about the Soul Society. After I put on my new clothes, I checked the uniform's insignia that was sewed on the inside. I would not allow myself to be caught for such a stupid mistake as that.

Another reason why Orihime and Uryu were caught was because they said they were from Squad 11 when the uniforms were in fact from Squad 12. Thus causing Maki-Maki, as Yachiru calls him, to be suspicious of them. Of course, he was drunk at the time but he did make a valid point when I read that part in the manga.

_Better to be safe than sorry._

I looked at the symbol and raked my brain to see which Squad it belonged to. It was a Narcissus flower. That would mean it was...

"Hmm...10th Squad, huh? That's great! That Toshiro's Squad! This could actually work!"

There was much contentment in my voice. I was a total Toshiro fangirl. He was one of my favorite characters in Bleach, right up there next to Ichigo. So being able to say I was from his Squad was like a dream come true.

_But I still have to be careful when dealing with other Soul Reapers. I might be able to get away from saying I'm from his Squad, but if Toshiro ever saw me, he'll definitely know I'm not in his Squad. If that happens, he'll know immediately that I'm a fake and alert the others. He strikes me as the type to remember his squad member's names and faces because he cares for them. He might not show it on the outside, but on the inside, he's a total softie for his Squad._

I chuckled softly, turning my attention back towards the girls. I found a blanket in a nearby storeroom like the one Chad was hiding in and put it around the one I took the clothes from. I had tied them up with rope and covered their mouths with cloth to ensure they wouldn't scream bloody murder. Then I dragged them over to the storeroom and hid them were they wouldn't be found so easily. They were now conscious and trying their hardest to get out of their current bindings. I turned to go and could hear their muffled screaming as I did so.

"I'm so sorry you guys, but I have to do this to help the others."

I shook my head apologetically to them. I could tell they were really sweet girls and I hated to be the one doing this to them, but I had no other choice. This was for the greater good of everybody here. I left my clothes from home and my IPod Touch on the ground beside them. I didn't know how my IPod got there and I didn't know if it was still working or not.

"There goes my 200 bucks that I worked for," I sighed, closing the storeroom door. I took off in the direction of where the crash site was without looking back. I prayed that it wasn't too late to meet whoever it was that landed there. Maybe I should have looked back because if I had, I would've caught a glimpse of a light blue Captain's coat billowing in the wind.

* * *

I panted as I took several deep breaths. My God, running around with a real metal sword was a pain in the ass! I was also not that athletic, so it was hard trying to make it in time to see whoever landed in my direction.

_Note to self, ask Yoruichi or someone else to teach me Shunpo when this is all over._

Then I saw dust debris up ahead. It started to clear and I could make out a circular hole in the ground filled with sand.

_Yes, it's him! Thank God! My plan's going to work! Finally something's going my way!_ I stopped a few feet away and waited for Ichigo and Ganju to surface. I leaned against the wall and watched the scene before me unfold.

"Blech! Thanks to your stupid spell we're saved for now," I heard an all too familiar voice say. I smiled at that.

_Oh Ichigo, your comments never cease to amuse me._

"Oh, quit complaining Berry-head! I just saved your sorry ass, so be grateful!" another familiar voice said and I took that as my cue to enter. I ran over to them and started talking really fast.

"Ichigo, Ganju, are you alright? Listen to me, please! We have to get out of here before they come after us! Come on, stop giving me those weird looks and let's get going!"

Cue awkward silence.

"Umm...how do you know who we are? And why the hell should we? For all we know, this could be a trap. Who are you anyway?" Ichigo asked, looking at me like I was stupid, then with suspicion.

_God, I hate explaining things, especially with the limited time we have right now. But... he has a point. Why should he trust me? I just revealed that I knew his name, as well as Ganju's. I don't blame him for being suspicious. After all, Gin also knew Ichigo's name without telling him and well, we all know how that turned out. Man, I look like a real fool right now and I hate myself for that. Smooth move there Jen, real smooth._

I bitterly shook my head and proceeded to explain myself.

"Okay, I know this seems really suspicious, but you're going to have to trust me on this one. This isn't a trap. Just know that I'm your friend. Right now, I'm trying to save you so you can help Rukia."

"How'd you..."

"Let me finish, damn it! I can't tell you how I know of you at the moment. I'll tell you later when we have time, but right now we have to go. Please..." I started but was interrupted by Ganju.

"No freaking way! Nu uh! I ain't believing that for one second! Just go back home why don't cha?"

"I can't dumbass! I have something important I need to do. Just please...we don't have any time to waste."

I sighed in defeat. I was getting pretty desperate. I could sense the other Soul Reapers starting to move and they were getting closer each second. They _had_ to believe me. There was just no other way. If I couldn't gain their trust then everything I thought I would be able to do would be for nothing. They continued to stare at me as my eyes pleaded to them. I looked at Ichigo as he seemed to be in deep thought.

"Wait a minute, Ganju. Maybe we should listen to her. At least we can let her tell her story while we get out of here. I agree that we should run otherwise we'll get caught before we've even done anything."

He looked straight at me as he said this. I stood my ground as he assessed me, trying to see if I was friend or foe. I could still see his doubt but right now, this was as good as it was going to get. Maybe later they would start to open up to me. At least...I hoped they would.

"Thank you so much Ichigo," I said, bowing deeply. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"You still haven't told us your name."

"Oh, well as to who I am..." I trailed off, wondering if I should tell them my real name or not.

_Okay think! I can't really use my real name because they'll know it's not Japanese. I mean, I look Asian enough so they might expect a Japanese name from me. Everyone here has one and it'll be weird if I __tell them my name is Jenny. That's totally American, no offense out there, but it's still too risky. I have no time for questions about my name so I'll just make one up. Luckily, I know the perfect one to use. I wonder how the 'Lil Berry will react to this._

I smiled, chuckling darkly on the inside. I didn't want to take too long otherwise they would change their minds and think I was hiding something. Well, I was, but not exactly what they were probably thinking.

"...I'm Ichigo Momosaki and it's a pleasure to finally meet you." I looked up after I was done bowing to see what his expression would be.

"Uh...oh wow! Your name is Ichigo too? That's...weird," His face scrunched up in confusion, completely ignoring the last part.

_Okay, what happened to the nice and polite introductions, geez? And of course it is. I named it after you, you idiot. I'm surprised he didn't see the resemblance, but oh well, lucky me. Now we can get out of here without them asking stupid questions like why my name was based off of Ichigo's. That would be awkward to say the least._

"Hey Ichigo, I feel a bunch of spiritual pressures heading this way. We should get going. But as for you...don't think we'll trust you. After all, you are a _Soul Reaper_ and suspicious. So get that one straight!" Ganju shouted.

That kind of hurt even though I wasn't really a Soul Reaper. But I could understand where he was coming from. He still didn't know what really happened that night. The night that his older brother, Kaien, was killed by Rukia. While he said that, he turned to Ichigo first, then jabbed a finger over to me, emphasizing his point.

"Of course. I would've considered you fools if you had agreed with me with no doubt at all. Be careful, because not everyone is kind. Even though they may look like it, they're not who they're pretending to be."

I thought of Aizen as I warned them. I could tell them about him later, but right now, we had an even bigger problem on our hands. We needed to avoid confrontation at all costs. It was just my luck that Ichigo sucked at hiding his spiritual pressure. The others must have noticed it too by now.

"Ichigo, it may be futile but please, try to lower your spiritual pressure just a bit if you can," I called over my shoulder as I started walking towards the Shishinro. That was the place where Rukia was being held. The sooner we got there, the sooner we could save Rukia and try to warn the others about Aizen's plans.

"Alright, I'll try. So then, let's go Ichigo...errrr wait, I mean..."

"It's alright. Just call me Momosaki for now," I chuckled. He nodded and I smiled. Just as I was about to take another step, someone called out to us from somewhere up above and I winced slightly.

"Not so fast! It looks like today is my lucky day after all!"

_Aw man! It's Ikkaku and Yumichika! Not good! And here I thought I could lead them straight to Rukia!_

I realized at that moment that if I did that, then Ichigo would never be friends with the other Soul Reapers. Or at least they won't be as close as they were in the anime/manga. I still didn't know if we were in the anime version or manga version. Either way, I would have to worry about it later. Ichigo was supposed to meet Ikkaku, which would lead to meeting Kenpachi, which would then lead to Ichigo gaining more knowledge about his zanpakuto.

There were too many things that happened due to this incident. It would be for the best if I let Ichigo fight with Ikkaku as well as let Ganju fight Yumichika. These fights would let them gain each other's friendships. Maybe not right away, but definitely later on in the future.

_Wait a minute, but then what about the fights with Renji and Byakuya? I thought I was going to avoid them altogether. Aw man, are you kidding me? That means my whole 'avoid confrontation and lead Ichigo straight to Rukia' plan will be completely useless! Urgh! Damn it!_

I face palmed.

_God, I'm so stupid! Now I have to actually guide Ichigo through every single one of his battles to make sure things run the way they do. I don't want to be messing up the plot-line right now. Oh yeah, that would be a problem if that had actually happened. Whoops! Oh well, I can still make this work. I'll just have to make sure Ichigo goes through these fights and wins. If something goes wrong, I could try to make it right. Yes! I'm still back in business._

I did a little happy dance in my mind as I heard Ikkaku continue with what he was saying.

"We were hiding out because we didn't feel like being deployed... and the intruders fell right into our laps! I'm lucky, but you certainly aren't!" Then he started doing the lucky dance.

"Who is lucky? I am lucky! None so lucky but...Me! That's right I said, Me! Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky...Meeeeeeeee!" I glanced over to Ichigo and Ganju. The expressions they had were priceless!

_This is so better in real life than on TV!_ I snorted inwardly, then sobered up.

_So, let the games begin. But this time, I'm going to do my best to guide Ichigo and make sure he stays on track. The same can't be said for Aizen though. I'm going to make his life a living hell! He'll rue the day he ever thought about betraying the Soul Society! I'll make sure of it!_

I smirked and chuckled evilly. This was going to be good.

* * *

_Oh my God! I'm so very, very sorry for taking so long to update! There's been lots of drama in my life, including things like school, divorces, and job problems. [sigh] Anyway, thanks to all the people who reviewed my story! This is the rewritten version of chapters 2 and 3 combined. I thought it would make the story more interesting if I combined them, and as you can see, I have a new title for it too. I hope you enjoyed it! By the way, I actually did have some self defense training in my life. I just thought I would tell you so it wouldn't seem like an excuse for Jenny to be like super powerful and all that Mary Sue stuff. I know that it's really annoying when people put down things their OC can do when they haven't even done it themselves. Like with martial arts and whatnot. I can assure you that the self defense thing _was **not**_ false and made up. _

_There were also a couple of anime name references so to whoever can guess which anime they're from and what their full name is, you get a cookie. Of course, they're not the **actual** characters from the anime/manga themselves. I just made the names up as I went along so don't start freaking out on how Ikuto is in the Seireitei because it's **not** the Ikuto that you might know. Originally, I left the four men unnamed but then changed it so they had names to make it more interesting. They'll be coming back later on in the story too, so please make sure to remember them. There's a little spoiler for you. Haha :P  
_

_Also, I'm sorry if it seems like I was moving too fast at the end. I know that Ichigo and Ganju wouldn't be **that** trusting at first but** it **__**will be explained**__ in the next chapter. This is __**my**__ interpretation of things so if you don't like it, then don't read it or at least go make your own if you have something better in mind. __To those of you who actually __**like**__ my story and think it's awesome, rock on guys because __**you**__ are the ones that are __**awesome**__. Also, if you do like my story, then please visit __**"Hello Tomorrow" **__by __**MaybeWack**__. That one inspired me to write this, so if you have the time, please check it out! I promise it's worth it! Haha :D_

_Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. I claim no rights over any of the characters besides Jenny. She's mine! Lol ;) Thanks to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter! Oh, and please, please review! Thankies and have a great day!XD_


	4. Ichigo vs Ikkaku

**Chapter 3-Ichigo vs Ikkaku**

After Ikkaku did his lucky dance, there was complete silence. Then, laughing like a madman I gasped out, "Oh my God! That's so funny! You should be a comedian! The crowds would love you!"

"Shut up! Who asked your opinion, girl?" he angrily yelled. Meanwhile, Ichigo and Ganju stood there motionless with bemused expressions on their faces. A butterfly flew past us.

"Ohhhhhh, pretty butterfly," I said, completely fascinated. I loved butterflies, especially black swallow-tailed butterflies. They were so beautiful and they represented the Soul Society in Bleach. That's why I couldn't resist voicing my opinion. Again, there was silence as the four of them stared at me like I was crazy.

"What? I like butterflies. Oh come on, it's not that bad to say something's pretty, right?" I looked to find blank faces, completely devoid of emotion. Then Yumichika leaned over to Ikkaku and whispered something in his ear.

"Psst! Do you think she's alright in the head?" Ikkaku answered with a shrug and I could feel a twitch mark forming on my forehead.

"Hey! I'm not crazy, you know! I can hear you and I've got to say that was rude!"

I stomped my foot and 'hmphed' at them. Great! I said something completely stupid in front of them yet again. Seriously, I needed to think before I spoke otherwise it would make me look like a fool. Plus, it would probably get me in trouble later on. That was the last thing I needed, more trouble than I could already handle. Ikkaku got angry with my sudden outburst and a twitch mark of his own appeared.

_Weird, I can actually see those things. Sweet!_

Seeing them appear on someone else was totally different than having one of your own. So needless to say, it was funny watching it in the flesh.

"You little brat! How dare you talk to your superiors that way! Do you even know who we are?" Ikkaku was breathing heavily at the end and I had a look of indifference on my face. I seriously couldn't give a damn about his rank or who he was because I already knew them. I replied in a somewhat bored tone as he struggled not to rip me to shreds right then and there.

"Uh yeah, I know who you are but instead of arguing with me, shouldn't you be focusing on something else right now?"

Ichigo and Ganju tensed and gave me incredulous looks. I threw back a pleading one that said to trust me as they stared suspiciously. Great. Just when things were starting to look up, I go ahead and blow it. Nice Jen, real nice. I was actually hoping they would realize this was a great chance to gather info on what was happening around them from Ikkaku and Yumichika. Like maybe how the rest of the group they came with were faring, but...I guess it would be too much to ask of them. Yes, I went there. I definitely went there. Burned.

Looking back on things, I shouldn't have underestimated them. I had no idea just how smart they were. They were one step ahead of me the whole time and I didn't even see that one coming. Well, I sort of did but I never really gave it much thought. If I had _really_ thought about what it would be like to be in their shoes, then I would have seen it. I had just blindly assumed they would trust me and they _knew_ that I was _desperate_ for their trust.

They took that to their advantage and it was only until later on that I found out I was dead wrong about my assumption. It was only after Aizen revealed himself to everyone on top of Sokyoku Hill did they start to believe me and my so called "story" as to how I knew them and how I got into the Seireitei.

Ikkaku turned back to the two who were still in the sand with an "Oh, you're right," while Yumichika face-palmed at his partner's stupidity. Rule Number One in 'What not to do when Fighting an Enemy': Never take your eyes off your opponent, even if it's to engage in conservation with one of your comrades. Silence followed and Ikkaku started yelling at the two who were staring at the three of us like we were dumb.

"What are you doing? You fools! Come on, couldn't you see that I was doing my lucky dance for you both while I was waiting for you to come crawling out of your stinking sandbox to fight me? And why are you two gaping at me like a couple of idiots?"

Meanwhile, Ichigo and Ganju were talking quietly to themselves.

* * *

**Switch POV-Ichigo and Ganju**

"What the hell is with him?" Ichigo sighed.

"Wait a minute..." Ganju drawled.

"Huh? Oh come on..."

"Listen to me. I'm gonna make a run for it first chance I get. I don't really trust any of them. That girl may look like our friend, but it may just be a ploy to gain our trust and then backstab us later. Why the hell should we trust her when she hasn't even given us a reason to?"

"Yeah, I agree with you on that but...we don't even know where Rukia is. Our best bet is to have someone like her show us around. True, the way she knew about us was pretty suspicious but we could always question her about that later. For all we know, she could be one of Kisuke's friends, like Yoruichi, who's also working undercover to help us save Rukia. For now, let's just pretend to be her friend so that we can get as much information as we can."

He paused to see if Ganju was following. He was listening intently to what Ichigo was saying so he continued on.

"We'll decide what to do with her later when we have the time. Whether or not she's on our side, we'll definitely find that out. If she tries anything, then we'll just take her down along with the other two. We _are_ in enemy territory afterall. No one will stop us from rescuing Rukia. I made that promise to myself and the others a long time ago. That's the whole reason why we came here. Go ahead and run if you want to. I'm staying here and fighting them."

"Are you really sure that's the best way to go about this Ichigo? That's kinda naive. We don't even know what kind of power she has so are you positive you want to take her along with us?"

"Well, I don't see any other way besides that. If we were to just continue on without any help, we'd be doomed to wander this place for who knows how long. Yes, I know that looks can be deceiving but seriously...we don't have the time for this. Rukia's execution is almost here so if we can save time then that would be great. She seems to know a lot about what's going on so let's just see where this goes alright? Don't worry, I'll be here to protect you if things go wrong," Ichigo stated, smirking at the end.

"Che! As if I need your protection you sniveling little dandelion," Ganju scoffed. Ichigo chuckled and they turned back to the three of us.

**End POV**

* * *

"Geez man, chill" I said to Ikkaku, hoping to stall him long enough for the two to decide what they were going to do.

"Shut up! You're supposed to be on my side, not theirs!"

"Sorry, couldn't help it. And whoever said I was on your 'side' to begin with? For all you know, I could just be a Ryoka in disguise that knows a little bit too much for her own good," I replied with a smirk, a mischievous sparkle in my eye.

Of course, I was just kidding about that. I would always be on their side. Their side being the Soul Society's side. I was always on it to begin with and nothing would be able to change that. I grew up watching them and they were like family to me. I only said that because I wanted to let them know who I was really with at the moment since everyone was either a Ryoka or a Soul Reaper. It was just a precaution in case they asked me to help them fight Ichigo or Ganju. Not that they'd ever do that, but...better safe than sorry, no?

I also knew that it probably wasn't a good idea to tell them that since it could get me in trouble, but I couldn't help it. Seeing their expressions on their faces when they realized that they'd been had was way too good to pass up. Oh well, too late to go back now. Everything's already been said and done. I was pretty sure they wouldn't tell the others about my true identity though. Especially after Ikkaku was done fighting Ichigo. Well, at least I hoped so.

"Soooo, you're actually a Ryoka huh? That's great! I never would have guessed that. Two-on-two fighting is so boring," Yumichika drawled.

"Of course I am!"

Ichigo and Ganju looked up at me in shock. I could see they were surprised as well since they thought I was a Soul Reaper. I could sense that they were starting to open up to me again, but were still indecisive about who I was really with.

Of course, I didn't know about their little conservation in the sandbox at the time so I couldn't have known that they suspected as much. Well Ichigo did anyway. I wasn't too sure if Ganju was buying it or not. I had no idea that the reason they did that was so that they could gain _my_ trust. They were still planning to get information out of me so I guess at that point I was the one who was being fooled...if that even makes sense.

I did tell them to be careful of everyone around them afterall, including myself. So it was nothing new to me since I was expecting them to act suspicious of me. I would too, so I didn't blame them. And it was true that I was a Ryoka in the first place, since I did enter the Soul Society illegally.

Remember the no konso part I said at the beginning? Well, to those of you who don't know, you have to have a konso or soul burial by one of the Soul Reapers to legally enter the Soul Society. It doesn't hurt from what I've seen. The Soul Reaper just brings the hilt of their zanpakuto to your forehead and stamps a symbol that says 'Death-Life' on it. Then you go through a portal and end up in the Rukon District. Where exactly? Nobody knows. It's just random like that. All in all, it seems pretty peaceful, if you ask me.

I sighed as I interrupted the conversation between the two in the sand.

"Hey you guys, I think you better wrap things up soon because those two over there seem to be getting really impatient, you know?"

Just as I finished, Ikkaku leaned over me to stare at us. He asked Yumichika what we were arguing about and Yumichika replied by saying that maybe we were all just scared to fight us. I snorted. Please, scared of you pretty boy? Not a chance!

"So then, why don't we just let them take their time and argue about it?" Ikkaku asked.

"But then again, if we let them take too long, some of the other Soul Reapers may show up. And then _they_ will steal _our_ glory." Yumichika replied.

"Yeah, that's true. I got it. We'll set a time limit. That'll give me a chance to do another one of my pre-fight dances so you three can have enough time to make your decision."

"If you wanna fight, then be my guest!" Ganju suddenly shouted as he took off running in the opposite direction. Ichigo and I sweatdropped. Ganju never ceased to amuse me. Yumichika ran in the direction Ganju went. Now it was just me, Ichigo and Ikkaku that were left. Ichigo climbed out of the hole and stood up. Ikkaku looked at him and spoke.

"Hey, so tell me. Why didn't you two run away like your friend? He obviously ran because he sensed that our powers are far more superior to his own. You know if you ask me, I think your friend made a pretty wise decision."

"If your power really is greater than mine, it'd be useless to run. You'd catch me for sure. But if on the other hand my power is greater, then I'll defeat you and be on my way. At least that's the way I see it," he retorted.

"Is that so? I guess you're not stupid afterall."

The two glared at each other, then Ikkaku suddenly turned towards me.

"And you, girl? What will you do? Will you fight with your friend here or run away like the other one?"

"Haha! Neither, Ikkaku," I chuckled as his eyes widened, wondering how I knew his name.

"Oh don't look so surprised. I know many things about you and your partner. Yumichika, was it? I think that was his name, but I can't really say for sure. And didn't I tell you before that I knew too much for my own good?" I winked before I ran a good distance away from them.

"I'm not fighting nor running away. I'm just going to be a spectator so you two can start anytime you like!" I shouted to them from across the distance, leaning against the wall.

"I see...it wouldn't be that hard to get information on certain members in the Soul Society if you tried really hard. I'll let that one slide for now. But...why watch?" Ikkaku asked, mild curiosity in his voice.

"Hmph! Unfortunately, I wasn't born gifted with the instinct to fight. I don't even know how to handle a sword. I have zip training in sword fighting and minimal training in self-defense. Any more questions?"

"Yes, just one. Are you saying that you came to the Soul Society with no ability to fight whatsoever?" he asked incredulously. I laughed at that.

"Yup, afraid so. But you're forgetting something very important. I have one more thing up my sleeve," I winked playfully at him again. This was just too good to pass up. He scoffed, then turned back to Ichigo who seemed shell-shocked at my confession.

"Good luck Ichigo, have fun~!" I sing-songed, mock-saluting him. They both turned to each other with bewildered expressions. Then after a few moments, Ikkaku lunged with his sword in hand. Ichigo dodged it and took a fighting stance. I knew what was going to happen next. As soon as Ichigo tried to counterattack, I yelled something out to him.

"Ichigo! Ikkaku's going to use his sheath in his right hand to block your attack and then swing with his left."

Ikkaku did that at the exact same time I said that. His face turned contorted with confusion as I smiled at him. Ha! Take that sucker! I told him that I had something else up my sleeve but he didn't listen. Oh well. Too bad, so sad. Ichigo dodged just in time and jumped in midair to land on one of the many rooftops in the area. Then he jumped off and attacked again.

"Be careful Ichigo! Ikkaku uses both his sheath and his sword to attack, so keep your eyes open!" Ikkaku scoffed at my outburst, clearly angry with me. They kept on exchanging blows and after the blows were dealt, they both had cuts on their temples. Blood dripped into their eyes.

"Ichigo!" I cried out.

"So...your name's Ichigo huh? What's your last name?" Ikkaku asked.

"Kurosaki," he replied.

"Well I'm 3rd Seat Assistant Adjutant, Squad 11, Ikkaku Madarame. And I just don't get it. Sure there's some distance between us, but only a novice unfamiliar with fighting would allow a hand to leave his sword during a match."

Ichigo started sputtering and ranted on about how it was just to get rid of the blood in his eye.

_Oh Ichigo, even I know the consequences of that. You're just lucky that it's Ikkaku you're facing and not one of the Captains. They would have kicked your ass before you could even take a step forward. Unfortunately, you're not training for your Bankai yet so you're still in the amateurish zone right now. But that's all going to change in the future._

I chuckled darkly and before Ikkaku could say anything else, I interrupted their conversation.

"Ichigo, Ikkaku has some ointment in his sword tip to stop the bleeding so maybe if you ask nicely, he'll give you some."

My voice held a sickly sweet tone and a smug expression was seen on my face. Ikkaku looked at me in disbelief. I could tell he was starting to get suspicious about just how much I knew since that was classified information. Only the people who fought him should know that. True, it could be assumed that he was carrying so type of ointment to stop bleeding if it was ever needed in a fight. But...to know exactly where it was hidden was another matter. Not that many swords had that type of place to store medicine. Well, at least that's what I assumed since none of the others besides Ikkaku had this. He continued watching me uneasily and responded.

"Hmph, she's right. I do have some ointment that can stop the bleeding. Even shallow wounds bleed profusely. Therefore, you must stop the bleeding. You can't just wipe it away."

As soon as he took it out the ointment and put it on himself, Ichigo complained. Ikkaku explained it was just being prepared and that he had no right to be complaining.

"It's true Ichigo. Petty things like that will get you killed in a real fight," I was indeed being serious as I faced him directly. He started to retort but I continued on, ignoring what he was going to say.

"You're just lucky Ikkaku's toying with you right now." Ikkaku turned around so fast, it was hard to see if he actually did move.

"If he _was_ serious, you'd be dead by now because he has _something_ that most seated officers would _not_ have," I emphasized the points just enough to tell him that I knew about his Bankai.

"Ah! But how did you...? No one besides a few should know that. So then how...?"

"Haha, don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

"No. I want to know how you know about _that_. Only Yumichika and Renji know about it so then how did _you_ of all people know? Answer me now!"

"What can I say? I'm psychic," I answered, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly. I knew I had a serious death wish for egging Ikkaku on but it was just so funny. His expressions were priceless!

"Yeah right! Like I'd believe that! Now tell me how you got that information or you're dead!"

"Really? Then how am I supposed to tell you when I can't even talk?" I retorted back playfully.

"Grrrr! Why you little brat! I'll kill you!" He lunged and my eyes widened. I pushed off against the wall and got ready to make a run for it. Okay, maybe I went a bit too far with that last comment. Luckily for me, Ichigo shunpoed in front of him and blocked Ikkaku's sword. Ichigo made sure to get Ikkaku as far away from me as possible. I nodded my thanks as he just nodded back.

"Hey! Your fight's with me, not her! Even if you _do_ have something I don't have, it still doesn't change the fact that I have to win!" he yelled.

"Tch! What a pain! Alright, but first...what is your name, girl?" Ikkaku asked.

"Huh, me?" I pointed to myself. I so totally did not see that coming. He nodded as I went to introduce myself.

"Well, my name's Ichigo Momosaki, but you can call me Momosaki if it gets too confusing for you." I smirked.

"Hmm, Momosaki, eh? Good name you have there, just like us. It's a shame really. I would have liked to fight you if you had experience with the sword. Your eyes hold a deep sense of wisdom. A fool could notice that. But...that doesn't mean that I won't forgive you for what you just said. Nor does that mean that I won't give up on trying to find out where you got that information from."

"Hmph! Well good luck trying because I'm not telling you anything just yet. Maybe somewhere along the way you'll find out how I know. Until then, my lips are sealed." I made a zipping motion with my hand across my lips, smirking all the while. Man, this was so fun!

"But thank you Ikkaku. To be honest, I would have liked to fight against you too, not as enemies, but as friends."

I bowed, thinking of the last part and hoped to God it would turn out to be true. I wanted to fight in order to protect everyone and I wanted to become friends with them. I wished that with all my heart. Being able to spar with Ikkaku and everyone else on the same level, now _that _was a dream come true. Hell, this whole set-up was like a dream come true. He raised an eyebrow at that but then turned back to stare at Ichigo. I turned back to him too and watched as he stupidly licked his finger, bringing it up to his temple to try to stop the bleeding.

_Ohhhhh Ichigo. With your saliva? Ewwww, gross!_

I shuddered. That was just wrong on so many levels. Ikkaku 'hmphed' and I tensed, not liking where that was going.

"Ichigo, move!" I shouted just as I saw Ikkaku's feet leave the ground in a shunpo. He blocked every strike Ikkaku threw at him...luckily. More blows were dealt. Their swords locked each other in place until Ikkaku moved back and continued to fight using both his sheath and sword. Poor Ichigo was being forced backwards, totally unfamiliar to fighting someone with that kind of style. Yet...he was also holding his own against Ikkaku.

Blow after blow upon swords were exchanged as I continued watching the fight intently. If anything went wrong, I would only have a moments notice to stop the fight. How would I do that? I had no clue, but just in case, I needed to be ready.

"You shouldn't look so angry. I'm complimenting you right now. You're too good to be dismissed as merely a greenhorn with natural abilities. There's something about the way you move. Who was your master, Ichigo?"

"Well, I wouldn't call him my master since I only trained under him for ten days but...it's Kisuke...Urahara." Ikkaku gasped, his eyes widening severely. I knew why and felt sorry for Ichigo because he still didn't know the truth about Mr. Hat 'N Clogs. That's was Ichigo's nickname for him, by the way in case some of you were wondering.

"I see, so then _he_ was your master. In that case, it would be rude to kill you without giving it my all." Ikkaku took his sword and sheath, putting them together while readying himself in a fighting stance.

"Ichigo, look out! He's going to release his zanpakuto!" I shouted.

"Extend, Hozukimaru!"

_Shit! Not good!_

It was Ichigo's turn to look surprised as he saw Ikkaku's sword turn into a spear. It sliced through the ground below and I shuddered.

_Oh shit! His movements are faster. Damn it! Ichigo's dodging them at the moment, but for how much longer?_

I could tell what Ichigo was thinking since I read that part in the manga. He was thinking that since a spear's reach was long, he wouldn't misread it. Oh how wrong he was. I had to warn him about that, otherwise he would be in trouble.

"Ichigo, you dumbass! Don't underestimate Hozukimaru! It's not what you think! It's a three part pole! It's not a spear!" I yelled out, but it was too late. He stupidly charged right in as I heard Ikkaku shout out his attack.

"Split apart, Hozukimaru!"

The pole split into three parts as the blade curved around towards Ichigo's head. Luckily he dodged in time and no real damage was done thanks to my warning. Ichigo nodded his head in thanks as Ikkaku laughed.

"So, I was right. You can see the future, can't you? Is that the trick you had up your sleeve then, Momosaki!" he yelled crazily.

"Yup, it sure is! And well, I guess you could call it that," I replied, my eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Heh," was all I got in return.

The fight dragged on and it was getting late. Ichigo was badly beaten up while Ikkaku was still in good shape. Blood dripped from Ichigo's arm as I gasped. That looked like it really hurt. Ichigo tightened his fist as Ikkaku continued to tease him.

"Does it hurt? You probably can't hold a sword with that hand. I'm a man with a generous spirit. Normally, I would have taken you in alive, but I'm afraid in this case I won't receive any credit unless I kill you."

While he was talking, Ichigo moved to wrap his bandage-like end of Zangetsu around his hand that was bleeding.

"Fine!" Ichigo shouted as he lunged at the older man, sword raised as Ikkaku dodged it with ease. He broke the wall in the process, but well, that's Ichigo for you. Ikkaku rolled on the ground, then got back up to a fighting position.

"Don't talk as if our fight is over. You still haven't seen what I can do. Now it's my turn, Ikkaku!"

"Those are certainly some mighty brave words, _greenhorn_."

The tension was enough to suffocate. I could feel it right down to the bone and a chill ran down my spine. I looked up at the sky and noticed the sun was sinking lower.

_Come on Ichigo! We don't have much time left. If someone finds us, then it's all over. I won't be able to help you anymore. My so-called "ability" would be useless then!_

"Great ready Ikkaku 'cause this time it'll be _you_ who finds he can't hold onto his sword."

"Heh! Your arrogance is just a cheap disguise newbie." Ichigo's eyes widened as Ikkaku's sword came at him.

"Too slow!" Ikkaku shouted. They charged again as Zangetsu got blocked by the chain that was holding Hozukimaru together. It locked into place, trapping it while Ichigo barely had time to dodge the next attack.

"What was that you were saying before, you amateur? Did you really think _you_ could make _me_ lose grip of _my_ sword?"

_Oh boy, Ikkaku's pissed. Not a good sign!_

I was getting nervous. This was not looking good. The suspense was killing me. I just had to speak out.

"Watch out Ichigo!"

"I know that, Momosaki! Ahhhhh!" Ikkaku wrapped Hozukimaru around Zangetsu, stomping on Ichigo's face. Ichigo saw through another one of Ikkaku's attacks and blocked it.

"Heh, if I'm so slow, then how did that happen?" Ichigo all but smirked.

"That was a lucky fluke, and it won't happen again," Ikkaku scoffed, jumping off of Hozukimaru and landing on the rooftop.

"You're still not fast enough to beat me," he boasted. Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he stabbed Zangetsu through the wall he was standing on. It came tumbling down and dust flew everywhere. Ikkaku had no choice but to jump down and Ichigo took advantage of that. Unfortunately, Ikkaku saw that move coming and swung. The end tip with the strings caught Ichigo in the face as he tried to shield it with his hand. He landed with a thud and skidded a few feet away on the ground. I winced since I knew exactly how that felt. I never wanted to relive that again. Ikkaku started swinging Hozukimaru in circles and I knew things were coming to a close.

"Hey, what's wrong? What happened to all that big talk of yours? Hozukimaru can transform at will. I guess you really aren't in my league afterall." I couldn't help but interrupt Ikkaku's little speech with a laugh.

"Actually Ikkaku, that's because Ichigo's zanpakuto is always in his release state."

"What did you say?" he asked incredulously, turning towards me.

"Haha, it's exactly as I said."

"Hmph, if you're both done talking about me like I'm not here, then I have something I'd like to say," Ichigo smirked as he got up. I smiled, then nodded as I regained my slouching position against the wall.

"I gotta admit it took me a little while, but I've got it now. I finally have your attack completely figured out."

_Yeah Ichigo! Now that's what I'm talking about!_

His hand opened up to release some of the strings he had pulled off of Hozukimaru. Ikkaku stared in sheer disbelief as he noticed the cracks at the end of his sword. Ichigo stepped on the fallen pieces of string. I couldn't help but think it was a cruel thing to do. It was an insult to Ikkaku and I knew it would be one of the reasons behind Ikkaku going berserk on us.

"What's wrong Ikkaku? I hope you haven't lost the will to fight. But if you won't attack, I will." Ichigo jumped into the air and I knew he was being totally serious this time.

_Damn it! I better get out of here or I'll get caught up in the blast! I've got to find a place to hide!_

I searched for a good hiding place quickly. The only good spot was around the corner. It would have to do. I dove for cover as Ichigo slashed his sword down. The blast radiated across the entire area as I covered my head to avoid any injuries. I looked up when I deemed it was safe and saw Ikkaku holding a broken Hozukimaru. Blood gushed from his shoulder as he glared at Ichigo.

"I guess you think it's over, but you're dead wrong my friend..."

"Ikkaku, don't do it! You'll be killed if you do!" I screamed, knowing full well what he would do and how it would turn out. Of course I knew that he wouldn't really be killed but hey, he would still get hurt either way.

"Shut up! It won't be over as long as I can still hold my sword!" I flinched as he glared at me. A crazy gleam shone in his eyes and I knew it was futile to try to stop him. Ichigo looked at him solemnly.

"Don't make me do this. Why don't you just face the fact that this fight is over? You can't win and you know it so give it up."

"No chance, greenhorn. This battle isn't over yet. And it's not going to be until _one_ of us is _dead_!"

_No please! Not again!_

My eyes widened in horror as I realized that this would have the same result as last time.

"Damn it! Noooo!"

Ikkaku gave out a battle cry, intent on killing Ichigo with no mercy.

"You're too slow!" Ichigo yelled, slashing Zangetsu upwards. I sobbed as I fell to my knees, shaking. I knew that when I had entered Bleach that I would have to help Ichigo, but...seeing all the blood on the ground was enough to make me sick. I didn't want to see my friends getting hurt, even if it was necessary at the moment. And not being able to do anything but shout and give advice was not helping at all. I hated being this useless. But...what else could I do in a situation like this?

"Why? Why did this have to happen again? Why?" I choked out, but I knew full well the reason why. Ikkaku was utterly defeated and he knew it. There was no denying it now, not after that. He had finally learned his lesson.

"You are _strong_. I'll give you that. Not...so lucky afterall," he grounded out as he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Ikkaku!" I ran over to them and stood by Ichigo's side. I saw Ichigo out of the corner of my eye looking at him in pity.

"This wasn't a lucky day for either one of us, if you ask me."

I sighed and nodded my head in agreement, looking towards the sky with tears in my eyes. Then I smiled. The battle between Ichigo and Ikkaku was over and ended as a victory for us. Things were definitely looking up. Now the question was...how long would that last?

* * *

_Hi guys! Another rewritten chapter is finally out. Yahs! Hope you enjoyed it! If you like my story, then please check out "__**Late Night Rendezvous**__" by __**HushedSilence**__. Thanks in advance!XD Also, thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter. I love you! Anyway, this story is for you guys so please no flames. Thank you for your time and please, please __review! Love ya! Until next time!;)_


	5. Run Around

**Chapter 4-Run Around**

I sighed as I looked at Ikkaku, taking in his blood soaked appearance. Ichigo wasn't faring any better. He was struggling to breathe normally.

"Well, enough dawdling around. Let's help him with his injuries and get the hell out of here," I smiled, pumping my fist in the air to show my enthusiasm.

"Uhhhhh..."

"Oh come on, Berry-Head. Stop screwing around! Help me out since we need to get going, like _now_." I placed my hands on my hip, pointing to Ikkaku.

"Wha? Well **_sor-RY_**, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm injured too!" he muttered sarcastically.

"Duh! Of course I have. But we can't just leave him here to die, you know?"

"Well yeah, I was getting to that. But what are we going to do? We don't have any bandages on hand right now." I rolled my eyes at his stupidity as I walked over to Hozukimaru and picked it up. It had returned to its original form so now it looked just like a regular sword.

"That's why we use...this!" I smirked, tapping the top of it. Realization dawned on him as he realized that I was referring to the ointment. He stared at me doubtfully.

"Will that really work?"

"True, it might not be the best way to heal him right now, but it's a start. It'll only be temporary, but it's better than nothing. This is just to stop the bleeding so he doesn't die from blood loss..." I paused in the middle, then grinned. Ichigo saw the look and shuddered. I remembered the moment when Ikkaku would wake up and reopen his wounds. I shook my head in amusement.

"That is...if he can keep still when he manages to wake up. Anyway, help me put this on Ikkaku. Oh, and make sure to save some for yourself too. We still have a long way to go before we can find whoever you came with and save Rukia." I crouched next to Ikkaku and removed the cap, spreading some of the ointment on his shoulder.

_Sorry Ikkaku, I hope you can forgive us. I know you wanted to die a glorious death and all, but I can't let that happen. Not here and certainly not now. Call it selfishness, but you still have so much more you need to do. Not to mention you still have your dream to live out._

I smiled as Ichigo sat next to me, trying to help Ikkaku as well. Now, most people wouldn't care about what we were doing and would just go ahead without looking back. But not us, and certainly not Ichigo. He was too much of a nice guy to kill someone for real. Well, not unless they hurt one of his friends and he was forced to. That's just how Ichigo was. When we finished, we focused on Ichigo's wounds.

"Hm, do you need any help, Carrot-Top?"

"Nah, I got it. Thanks though." He shook his head, smiling at my offer.

"Okay!" I smiled back and sat on what was left of the wall that Ichigo destroyed during his fight. I watched as he used what was left of the ointment on himself.

_That Ichigo. He purposely helped Ikkaku with his wounds first, not even stopping to put some on himself to make sure Ikkaku had enough. Oh Ichigo, you have no idea how noble you are or how much nobler you will become._

I stared at him intensely. Unfortunately, he caught my stare and I blushed, both out of embarrassment and out of sheer fangirlness. I berated myself for acting like a Mary-Sue. No, there was no way I was going to become one. Not to mention that I was originally from another world. It just wouldn't work out, no matter how much I wanted it to. As Ichigo finished, he asked me a question.

"So, now what? Should we get going like you said or..." I interrupted before he could continue.

"Well, we do have a little time to spare so I guess we should stick around for a while. We could ask Ikkaku about where Rukia is being held after he wakes up so we don't go around in circles. Yeah, I do know a lot of things, but directions and locations are something left to be desired." I looked down at Ikkaku worryingly. Ichigo seemed to get my underlying message and nodded at my decision.

Yes, I was worried for Ikkaku's safety, but my true aim was to stick to the actual plot as close as possible. Meaning that I would have to wait for Ikkaku to wake up and have him personally tell Ichigo what he needed to say to experience whatever the hell they experienced in the original story-line. I already knew where Rukia was being held, so that whole last part was just an excuse to stay. I heard shuffling as I looked up to find Ichigo walking towards me. He sat down and we stared at the sky in silence. Then he broke it with a question that had been bothering him for some time.

"Umm, now that we have the time, could you maybe tell me why you're helping me and how you know so much about what's going on?" He glanced shyly at me, rubbing the back of his head nervously. He was worried that I would reject him and find some other excuse to not answer it.

"Nah, I don't mind. It was bound to come up sooner or later anyway. Might as well be sooner," I sighed. He nodded and I took that as my signal to continue.

"Listen, Ichigo. I seriously want you to trust me when I say that I really want to help you, the others, and Rukia. You have absolutely no idea what's going to happen and because of that, I want to be there for you as much as I possibly can. That is why...what I say to you here stays between us...until I tell you otherwise, alright?"

I stared with such an uncomfortable gaze that he shifted a bit before looking back at me. I smiled sadly, continuing on with my explanation. I had vaguely sorted out the story in my mind just in case something like this ever arose. Well, it was now or never. I needed Ichigo to trust me-not that he didn't-but I could still see the traces of doubt deep within him. I prayed that this would make him see that I really did have the good intention of being on his side.

"Well for starters, I'm a human, just like you. No, I'm not a Substitute Soul Reaper even though I have Soul Reaper clothing on. I...uh...sort of 'borrowed' this uniform to avoid suspicion. If you know what I mean," I chuckled nervously.

"Anyway, you already know that I have a lot of information on a lot of things and about the future. Ikkaku mentioned this before, I believe." I paused, looking to see if I still had his attention. Of course, this was all an act to make it more believable. He nodded again as I continued.

"I know all this because, I...I dreamed all this before, Ichigo. I had these dreams back from when I was in Karakura Town, when I was with my family. I don't know how this is happening, but it's real. It's not a dream anymore, I know that now. And that's how I know who you are and what you're trying to do." I paused to allow him to digest the information.

"I dreamed it all before and now I have a chance to _stop_ it. Something else is happening here Ichigo, something really bad. I know that you mean good, so please believe me when I say that I will do _everything_ in my power to _save _everyone that I know will help us, alright?"

I pleaded the last part to him. He gaped at me open-mouthed for at least two full minutes before closing it. I couldn't really tell what was going on in his head, but I hoped that it was good.

"W-What? So then, you're a...seer?" he asked, eyes bulging and finger pointing at me. I chuckled and nodded, smiling weakly.

"Oh...wow! Now that was totally unexpected. Just...wow!" I laughed and he instantly went into a defensive mode.

"Hey! It's not funny! It's not funny at all!" he yelled, but I could tell he wasn't really that serious.

"Haha, of course it is! You should have seen the expression on your face. It was priceless!" He half-smiled in my direction and stayed silent. I broke the silence, wanting to know the answer to my question.

"So...Ichigo. Do you think that you can trust me now?"

"With my life," he replied confidently.

"Wha...?" I stared at him, absolutely shell shocked that he said that. And to _me _of all people. He noticed my shocked expression and elaborated.

"What I meant was, you are going through so many risks, just to help us save Rukia. I can feel that you really meant what you said, so...with that I trust you with my life. It's as simple as that." He smiled at me. I could feel myself wanting to cry and I weakly sobbed out.

"You stupid head! You got me feeling all mushy inside now! Thanks a lot!" I fake-cried, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Hey, that hurt." He fake nursed his "injured" shoulder. We both laughed as we looked at each other. Then we heard a noise and noticed Ikkaku starting to wake up.

"How come...how come I'm still alive?" I sat back and gestured to Ichigo with my head to let him do all the talking. This was going to be interesting, that was for sure.

"I see you're finally awake." Ikkaku looked around in confusion, noticing the two of us sitting next to each other, staring at him.

"Hey, what's up Ikkaku?" Ichigo said cheerfully.

"Ichigo...and Momosaki. What are you doing? Why are you still here?"

"Well, I learned something. I learned that a zanpakuto goes right back to normal just as soon as its owner passes out," Ichigo replied as he held Hozukimaru in his hand.

"Ah! My Hozukimaru! Give it back to me!"

"Chill Ikkaku, just relax. We aren't going to do anything to it so just calm down." I smirked at him. He glowered before he noticed that his wounds were closed.

"What did you do to me?"

"We only used its ointment to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, between both our injuries, we had to use it all up," Ichigo replied.

"You bastard, you had no right to do that! Now you've denied me the glory of death after being so thoroughly defeated. How can I possibly live on now in such humiliation!" I sighed as I could feel the signs of a headache forming.

"What about your dream then, huh Ikkaku? Are you trying to say that you're ready to give it all up right now? Now that you're alive, you have another chance to live your dream. And if not that, then you can always live to take down this man that defeated you in battle." My eyes twinkled with knowledge of Ikkaku's past and with a certain sadness too.

"You little...You really should learn to keep your mouth shut about some things you know? And you even know about that too? Nobody but Yumichika and the Captain should know. So seriously, how'd you know? I find the idea of a psychic a bit unbelievable," he grounded out bitterly. He wasn't trying to kill me anymore and that was a good sign. Maybe it was because he was tired or the fact that he lost. Either way, I was just glad he wasn't trying to murder the very daylights out of me for knowing too much.

"Yeah, I know that I should keep my mouth shut but I just can't help it. And I can't tell you all the details as to how I know since it's not the right time yet. You might not want to believe that I _am_ psychic, but...it's true and that's all I can really say. It's up to you to decide what you want to do with this information. But please promise me that you will tell no one of this, not even your Captain, until I say so," I replied seriously. He contemplated my request for a couple minutes, then sighed.

"Alright, I won't tell anyone else about your powers and I won't question you about the details right now. But...I expect some answers next time I see you. _And_ if I ever find out that you told anyone else about _that_, then you're _dead_!" He glared and I gulped at the intensity of it.

"Uh...uh...of course Ikkaku, of course!" I sputtered, swallowing nervously and crossed my heart.

_Sheesh man, just relax. It's not like I'm going to put that in the Seireitei News Bulletin or anything._

I inwardly sweatdropped. Ichigo thankfully left our conversation alone, even though I knew he was curious.

"Hey Ikkaku?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Where is Rukia Kuchiki being held? We want to save her. Could you tell us where she is? We won't bother you after that, I promise."

"What the...? You want to rescue her? How many of you are there?" he asked, wide-eyed. He obviously wasn't expecting that. Ichigo opened his mouth to answer but I held a hand in front of him. Even though this was Ikkaku and I trusted him, what Ichigo was about to say was classified information.

"We'll tell you...under one condition. You must never ever tell this to Mayuri or the other Captains besides your own." Ikkaku closed his eyes for a second, thinking it over, then reopened them.

"Fine," he sighed as I nodded over to Ichigo to continue.

"Well, with Momosaki on our team right now, I'd say that it's 6 humans and one animal." Ikkaku's expression was priceless as it turned into a somewhat comical expression.

_Here we go again._

I sighed, rolling my eyes and chuckling a bit. Ikkaku started laughing like hell as tears welled up in his eyes.

"You'll never pull off a suicide mission like that, you idiot! What? Are you Ryoka all stupid or something?" I couldn't help but glare for a second at the 'stupid' part, but then continued chuckling until it became full blown laughter.

"Actually no, I think the stupid one here right now is you because you just managed to reopen all your wounds," I smirked in between laughs. He paused and looked at himself. Blood came squirting out of his wound as he yelled out in pain. Ichigo and I both looked at each other and sweat dropped, smiling all the while.

"Hahhhh! Alright listen. If you go directly south from here, you'll come to the stations of the 13 Court Guard Squads. Off by itself at the far west end of all the Squad stations, you'll see a tall white tower. _That's_ where the prisoner is being held."

"Right, thank you. Momosaki, let's get moving. I owe you for this Ikkaku," Ichigo said, signaling me to get ready to leave.

"Don't get going all sentimental on me. It's annoying," Ikkaku scoffed. I smiled as we started walking away.

_Wait for it...wait for it...there!_

"Just a minute, one more question," Ikkaku said. We turned as we stared back at him, Ichigo in mild curiosity while I in anticipation. This was the warning about Kenpachi.

"Who's the strongest member of your group?"

"Well...that would be me," Ichigo replied after giving it some thought.

"If so, then I suggest you keep an eye out for my Captain, Ichigo." He stared at me intently and I got his message. I nodded to say that I would try to keep him away from Kenpachi, but of course, there were no real promises there. Afterall, Ichigo _had_ to fight Kenpachi in order for some of the original things to happen.

"The Captain has no interest in fighting weak opponents. If it's true that you are the strongest, then it's_ you_ that he will come after." There was tension in the air that could suffocate. Then Ichigo decided to break it.

"Tell me what his name is."

"Captain of Squad 11, Kenpachi Zaraki." Ichigo gulped.

"Well, time's a wasting, Berry-Head. Let's go." I put on a weak smile, trying to lighten up the mood. He nodded, lightly smiling, thankful for the distraction. We started walking again as I shouted over my shoulder and waved at Ikkaku.

"See you later Ikkaku! And remember what I said before, okay?"

"Yeah, I know!"

_Now, the next thing on the list is to find Ganju, then try to go to the Shishinro. Hm, it seems as if I'm forgetting something else that's important. Oh well. This is easier said than done afterall._

* * *

We continued running along the direction Ikkaku told us to go in. It went on like that for quite some time. Ichigo swore under his breath.

"Don't worry, Ichigo. Ganju's around here somewhere. We'll definitely find him," I told him reassuringly.

"But that man he's facing is the 5th Seat in the Squad so that means he's the 5th strongest next to the Captain!" I winced at the volume.

"Ichigo, do you not trust Ganju enough to hold his own against his opponent? Please, don't be so naive. Ganju would never be taken down that easily," I said softly, still running. Yes, I knew that I was the one being naive. But I needed to give Ichigo that extra push. For him to believe in the powers the others worked so hard to achieve.

"..." was all he gave me, pondering what I said.

"Stop worrying, he'll be alright. I know he will, trust me."

My eyes met his and he nodded. Of course, I didn't tell him that both Ikkaku and Yumichika were stronger than what they said to be. But that was a story for another time. I could tell him later when all this was over. We ran around some more until Ichigo suddenly stopped.

"Ichigo, why'd you stop? What's wrong?"

"That's it! Now I'm really mad!" he muttered, sucking in a deep breath.

_Uh oh, not good!_

"Hey! Ganju, where the hell are you? If you can hear me, shoot off some fireworks to let me know! You dumbass!"

"Grahhhhh! That's my line, you idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you know what you've just done!" Killer intent came off of me. He gulped and shrank back. So much for staying undercover. That Ichigo, what an idiot! I turned when I heard a couple "Huhs?" in the background and gulped.

"Aw shit, run for it Ichigo!" I pushed him forward. He didn't even need to be told twice as we hightailed it out of there.

"There they are! The Ryoka! Get them!" they shouted, chasing after us.

"Ahhhhhhhh, they're coming to take me away!" I screamed. [pun fully intended] Now I don't know about you, but getting chased by angry Soul Reapers, not to mention angry _11th_ Squad Soul Reapers, was not fun. It was nowhere near fun. The only thing that was funny was me singing the song "Run Around" from Digimon in my head to try and lighten up the mood.

**Things are starting to accelerate into something never  
Stopping always troubled but  
Now I think I'm getting dizzy too much spinning pace my  
Patience line is thickening, quickening  
It's getting too insane. I'm trying to maintain  
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah  
You run around, I run around  
We're all gonna run, run, run around  
You run around, I run around  
We all do a run, run, run around**

I also imagined that little map that appeared onscreen showing us our location, as well as Ganju's, like a Super Mario Brothers game. It did help ease the fact that angry men with swords were trying to kill us. I sighed as I ran faster. If I got caught here, then my whole 'help Ichigo and guide him' plan would be ruined. I cursed, willing myself to run faster. I was almost at the end of my limit here.

"Oh...My...God!" I cried out in sheer frustration. Ichigo wasn't faring any better as I glanced back at him.

"Damn it Ganju, just where the hell are you?" he fumed. Then we saw a bunch of fireworks in the air and instantly knew it was him. Unfortunately, the 11th Squad Soul Reapers caught up with us at that moment.

"Shit! We're surrounded!" I shouted. They tried pouncing on us but Ichigo was seriously ticked off and threw them out of the way. One of them barely managed to nick me when Ichigo punched him in the gut.

"Th...thanks," I choked out. We continued on with the others still after us. Suddenly, we saw Ganju with a hoard of Soul Reapers heading our way. Ichigo waved at him and I couldn't help smiling at that. Ichigo had a relieved expression on his face. Ganju must have heard the commotion we caused and came to investigate. Then I started frowning as I realized that neither one of us were going to slow down, least we wanted to get captured.

"Ichigo wait! Slow down! We're gonna..."

**Too Late! Bam!**

Ganju and I collided, foreheads bumping as Ichigo leapt in the air and took out the Soul Reapers who were closest to us.

"Ouch, damn it! That hurt!" I groaned, rubbing my now bruised head. The Soul Reapers got ready to fight when we all heard a voice in the middle of the group.

"Oh excuse me. Pardon me. I'm sorry," the stranger said meekly. But I knew he was no stranger. He was Hanataro Yamada, another soon-to-be-ally of ours. He made his way through the crowd, tripping along the way. All three of us stared at the newcomer.

"Ow, that didn't work out exactly like I planned it," he said from the ground. I rushed over and held out my hand. He took it gratefully.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I-I think so. Thanks, by the way." He dusted off his robes.

"Don't mention it," I grinned, then frowned as I turned to the two behind me. They were whispering to each other and I knew exactly what they were up to.

"And you two, don't even think about it." I glared sideways at them. Of course, being the idiots that they were, they ignored my warning and smirked. Then they grabbed Hanataro by the front of his uniform as Ichigo placed Zangetsu near his throat.

_Ugh! You amateurs!_

"Now back off and let us out of here..." Ganju yelled.

"Or else your little friend here is dead!" Ichigo finished. I sighed and...cue awkward silence.

"..."

"Not the reaction I expected," Ganju whispered.

"Maybe they didn't understand," Ichigo replied, but I could tell he was just as shocked at the lack of response from the Soul Reapers.

"Huh, you idiots. I told you not to do that. Look, around here there are different types of Squads. The men that are chasing us are from Squad 11. Hanataro here is from Squad 4. All in all, they couldn't care less if he died. In fact, I bet that's what they're wishing for right now," I explained to them. Some of the 11th Squad members agreed with me. Then one of them came up and continued what I was saying.

"The girl's right. There are 13 Guard Squads assigned to protect the Seireitei. We of Squad 11 are led by the strongest Captain. As such, we are the strongest unit and always the first into battle."

Ichigo and Ganju were still confused so he continued speaking.

"And Squad 4 is the Squad that provides first aid for minor injuries. That's where all the losers and wimps who can't wield a sword are assigned. We can't stand the little weasels. **[Haha Itachi, anyone?]** So don't you dare ever confuse them with us!" They all shouted furiously in agreement and I couldn't resist egging them on.

"They're losers and wimps, huh? Oh really? Says the ones who turn tail when Captain Unohana is involved?" I teased them with a knowing smirk. Now_ that_ blew a fuse through _all_ of them.

"Why you little...!" they shouted and I gulped.

"Run for it!" I cried just as an explosion came out of nowhere. Due to that, I was able to grab Hanataro's hand and we ran like the Hounds of Hades were after us.

"Hanataro! Is there someplace safe where you can take us so we don't get caught?"

"Umm...yes, but how do you know my name? I don't remember seeing you before..."

"Hide first, talk later," I wheezed and he nodded weakly.

* * *

We found a hiding spot in another storage room as we relaxed for a bit. After that, we started with the introductions.

"I...am Hanataro Yamada," he said while bowing to us.

"Dude, that is so lame," both Ganju and Ichigo deadpanned.

"What are you talking about? I like my name and it is certainly not lame."

"Well you're wrong. Where I come from, 'Hana' means 'Flower' and there's nothing lamer than that." I chuckled and couldn't help but retort. Ichigo really should have seen this one coming.

"Hmph! Says the one that's named after a fruit," I smirked as a tick mark formed on his forehead.

"It does _not_ mean that! It means..." I tuned him out and sat next to Hanataro.

"Hey, are you sure you're alright? Don't mind those two. They're complete idiots. The one with orange hair is Ichigo and the other one is Ganju. Me? I'm Ichigo Momosaki, but please, just call me Momosaki to make it simpler. I'm sorry they did that to you. You must have been so scared," My eyes caught his in a moment of compassion.

"Oh uh...I'm fine, really. And it's okay. Though I have to admit that I _was_ pretty scared. But um...that still doesn't explain how you know who I am." I grinned and went to answer him when Ichigo stormed over to us.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes yes, Strawberry, of course I am," I laughed as he started fuming.

"Grah! Anyway, why the _hell_ did you have to bring_ him_ along, Momosaki?" He gestured over to Hanataro rudely. I glared at him. I was seriously getting ready to murder that kid.

"I _brought _him along because he's one of _us_," I sneered, hugging Hanataro. He had a very confused and very uncomfortable expression on his face while the other two deadpanned.

"So then...he's also a Ryoka in disguise?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"No, but he is, or should I say _will be_, willing to help us with rescuing Rukia." Hanataro gasped, turning towards me as I let him go.

"You...you're here to help Miss Rukia?" he asked, completely shocked. I nodded and smiled. I knew for a fact that he would help us, no question about it. He was just too nice for his own good. That was one of the reasons why I always liked Hanataro.

"So...now that you know what we're trying to do...you in?" He nodded confidently.

"Whoa, wait just a second! How can we be so sure as to trust him...and you for that matter? I just met you not too long ago," Ganju yelled, obviously not liking where this was going. Oh yeah, I forgot that I only told Ichigo about why I was helping them. I was glad that I didn't have to explain it again when Ichigo motioned for both Ganju and Hanataro to follow him. They went over and he explained the current position I was in. Their eyes flickered over to me a few times. I saw them frown as Ichigo finished up the story. Then they got up and went back to where I was sitting.

"Did that answer your question, Hanataro?" I asked and he nodded sadly.

"Okay fine. I'll believe you for now, as far fetched as that sounds. But we still need to get to the tower. Luckily, I drew us a map," Ganju responded as he pulled out his hand drawn map from his robes. Ichigo went over and practically ignored us as he tried making sense of it. Hanataro tried to say something but they kept shushing him. By that time, I had several tick marks on my forehead and my patience was wearing very, very thin.

"Hey! Will you two just shut the hell up for a moment? Hanataro has something important to say, God damn it!" I yelled, stomping my foot in the process. Ohhhhh, I was about a few seconds away from strangling the two idiots.

"…"

Now_ that_ got all of their attention. They gulped. Note to their future selves, never ever piss me off. Especially when I was on a short fuse. Then we all turned to Hanataro as he began to explain how he knew of Rukia and where she was being held. Ichigo had a weird expression on his face when Hanataro repeated what Rukia said to him about how _she_ was the one that ruined _his_ life. He looked over to Ganju and they nodded.

"Hanataro, right? So then, could you take us there right now?" Ichigo asked, determination in his eyes.

'Yes," he said. I got up and went to open the door.

"Well then Hanataro, lead the way." I smirked as I recalled the passageway he would use. I wondered how Ichigo would react if he knew where we were going. I chuckled as I imagined his expression.

* * *

"Whew! I have to admit, I wouldn't have thought to use the sewer system," Ganju said admiringly.

"Are you sure no one will come looking for us down here?" Ichigo asked doubtfully.

"Why yes, you see, only a small number of Squad 4 members know their way down here," Hanataro replied.

"Oh, I get it..."

"Actually Ganju, it's not what you're thinking. Only a few people know about this because it's their job to clean it." Silence ensued as I looked over at Hanataro who now had little depression clouds surrounding him. I realized my mistake as I tried to cover it up.

"But anyway, now we can use it as a super cool secret passageway," I said quickly. Hanataro started smiling again and I breathed out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted, but just barely.

"God, it stinks in here," Ichigo complained, holding his nose.

"Deal with it," I grounded out. I _so_ did not want to deal with a whiny Strawberry right now.

"We're here." We stopped in front of some stairs. We climbed it and Hanataro stuck his head up slightly to look for any signs of danger.

"Okay, the coast is clear." He lifted the trapdoor all the way up. We got out and breathed the fresh air.

"Ahhhh, that's more like it," Ichigo sighed as he stretched his arms out. It was then that I noticed the fog and got a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

_Oh boy, now I know what I forgot. I'm so stupid! Damn it all!_

I gulped and held my arms out to stop them from moving.

"You guys, get back. Someone's here!" I hissed as the fog started to clear. They all stopped and noticed what I was pointing at. There, at the top of the stairs, was none other than Renji Abarai.

* * *

_Haha Yes! A really long chapter for me this time guys_! _Well, at least for the rewritten ones anyway._ _Thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter! I'm so happy right now. I'm on Easter Break so I had a lot of time to work on this. Sorry if you guys had to wait a long time but high school definitely sucks. They give **way** too much homework. Anyway, Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo while Jenny and some other ideas in here are owned by me. Also, if you like my story, then please check out __**"Wolf's Paws"**__ by__** drakangrl9**__. Have a great Easter everyone and please, please review! Thank you!XD_


	6. Ichigo vs Renji

**Chapter 5-Ichigo vs Renji**

I gulped as I stared at Renji. I was so excited! This was my first time meeting him in person. To see him in person was like a dream come true. I looked over his tattoos. They were so freaking cool! I started drooling as I thought about how far they actually went. I caught myself just in time and berated the fact that I thought that at a time like this. Bad Jenny! Bad girl! Renji spoke to the four of us as he slowly walked down the stairs.

"So you're still alive, huh?" Ichigo tensed as he immediately recognized who it was.

"Renji Abarai," he growled.

"You not only remember my face, but my name as well! You're full of surprises." I smirked at that last part. Oh yes, Ichigo was definitely full of surprises. Especially when you least expected it. And unfortunately, Renji was one of the people on the receiving end. So of course, it wasn't going to be good for him at this point.

"Thanks for the compliment," Ichigo retorted, not thankful at all.

"Whoa! This guy's spiritual pressure is off the charts! It's not like any of the others that we've dealt with. Just who is he?" Ganju muttered. I sighed as I ran my fingers through my hair. It was a good thing that Renji was too far away to hear our silent conversation. I didn't want to answer any more questions as to who I was or how I knew about things. It was just so draining, and a real bother. I saw Hanataro shaking as I whispered back in reply.

"His name's Renji Abarai. He's the Lieutenant of Squad 6 under Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Wha...what? A Lieutenant? Aw man, he's screwed! Ichigo's not strong enough to defeat a Lieutenant!"

"Heh! That's what you think, Ganju. Don't underestimate Ichigo. He's a lot stronger than you think." He turned to look at Ichigo for a while, then nodded back at me.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that, Momosaki." I smiled as we listened in on the conversation Renji and Ichigo were having.

"I must admit I'm surprised to see you. I was certain you'd be a dead man after I saw Captain Kuchiki attack you like that," Renji said, continuing down the steps. Ichigo stepped forward to meet him as Ganju protested. I held up my hand to stop whatever he was going to say.

"Stop it, Ganju. That's enough. Let him handle this by himself. This is his fight and he has a score to settle with Mr. Lieutenant over there." Ichigo stared at me with a grateful expression. I gestured for him to go ahead with a smile. He returned it and continued walking.

"You guys, we need to move back, like _now_. This is going to get ugly," I stated to the two next to me.

"But if it's going to get ugly, then shouldn't we stay here and help..." Hanataro started to reason but I interrupted.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine."

He hesitated but listened to my advice as we scooted back to where I thought was a safe distance away. We were right near the wall of one of the buildings. I was pretty sure they wouldn't come this way. Well, at least I hoped they wouldn't. I sighed again as the tension in the air rose. You could practically see the intent to kill in the air.

_Ichigo, please be careful. He's a lot stronger than last time now that he's in the Soul Society instead of the Living World._

I was nervous. I knew this was going to be one heck of an emotional battle for Renji and Ichigo. What else was new in Bleach? Oh that's right, _me_. But not to worry since I knew that everything would work out okay. At the time, I shouldn't have thought that. I totally jinxed it later on down the road. Unfortunately, I seem to have that kind of power. Or maybe it was just one of those days. Either way, what happened next after the battle was the one that changed most of my plans to help Ichigo. For better or for worse, I couldn't really tell.

"I don't know how you managed to survive that, but it would seem that there's more to you than I'd first believed."

_Ha! You got that right, Renji!_

The two continued glaring at each other. Then Renji unsheathed Zabimaru and I knew that the bloodshed was about to begin.

"But as I told you, I'm going to _kill _the one who stole Rukia's powers. So this is as far as you go!" Ichigo remained silent as his hand went to grab Zangetsu, picking up his walking pace.

"Because as long as you're alive, Rukia can never regain her powers." This was the last straw for Ichigo as he unwrapped the bandages around Zangetsu.

"Why the hell do you care about that when you've just sentenced her to death?" he angrily yelled, charging at Renji. The two swords finally clashed. Sparks flew everywhere as I saw their determined faces. Either way, I knew this probably wouldn't end well. Sure, it would probably be Ichigo's win, but...it would still come at a terrible cost. The both of them would be critically wounded in the end if things went the way it was supposed to. They continued to attack as waves of dust flew by me and the others. I was sure by now that the other Soul Reapers knew where we were. We needed to wrap this up quick, otherwise we'd run into some big trouble.

"Gah, that's it! Maybe we should retreat. I don't like this at all," Ganju said, panic clearly evident in his voice.

"Yeah, me neither, but...hold on. Look!" Hanataro responded. Sure enough, there was Ichigo, parrying Renji's attacks with overwhelming strength. He had managed to push Renji against the wall with brute force alone.

"Oh wow! He's amazing!" Hanataro gasped in awe.

"Oh yeah, Ichigo! Come on, you can do it!" I cheered.

"Do you honestly believe that you can save Rukia?" Renji asked.

"Of course!" Ichigo replied.

"Yeah right! Even if you do defeat me, there are still 12 other Lieutenants and 13 full-fledged Captains ahead of me."

"I don't care! I'll defeat them all!"

"Don't get cocky!" Renji shouted and readied his hand over his blade. I knew what he was going to do. I yelled out to Ichigo before I could think about what I was going to say.

"Ichigo, look out! He's going to call out Zabimaru! Ichigo, please don't underestimate him! He's a lot stronger than he was in the World of the Living now that he's in the Soul Society!" Just as I said that, Renji gave out a battle cry.

"Now Roar, Zabimaru!" Zabimaru emerged and my eyes widened. This was so not good right now, not good at all.

"Ha! She's right. My powers were severely limited when I went to the World of the Living. Lieutenants and Captains are required to wear a spirit limiter so we don't inadvertently affect the balance of spiritual pressure there. Now that I'm back in the Soul Society, my power is five times that from before."

Ichigo stared in shock as he took in the information. During his slight pause, Renji managed to catch him off guard. He pushed him off with brute force. While Ichigo was still recovering from the sudden push, Renji attacked Ichigo with Zabimaru. It caught him in mid-air as he tried shielding himself with Zangetsu.

_Oh shit! He's coming right this way!_ _I knew we should have moved back more!_

I yelled out to the others as Ichigo came flying towards us.

"You guys, run now!" Just in time too. A big boom echoed in the air as dust scattered all around us. I could make out Ichigo's figure in what was left of the building.

"Hey, Ichigo! Are you alright in there?" I shouted through the debris. He coughed as he got up and grabbed Zangetsu.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've had worse." I flinched as I thought about all the things he had been through. Yup, this one didn't even take the cake compared to some other things. Like the Shattered Shaft. [Cough Cough, Stupid Urahara, Cough Cough] He gave me a freaking heart attack when Ichigo came out of the Shaft. I really thought he turned into a Hollow and would go berserk on everyone. [sigh]

_You don't look fine, you idiot!_

I nodded back doubtfully as he dusted off his robes. I knew that even though he said he was okay, he actually wasn't. I could see him swaying. He's just too kind. He'll lie about what's really happening to him in order to keep others from worrying. Also, he wouldn't let his pride do so. That's just the kind of guy he is. Oh Ichigo, he never ceaseed to amaze me. He smirked, walking towards Renji again.

"Che! I'm going to enjoy this," Renji smirked back.

"I can't believe it. How is it that he can remain standing in his condition?" Hanataro asked us.

"Well, that's Ichigo for you. Even if he gets beat up, he'll get right back up on his feet. I don't know whether to call it foolish or admirable, but it still takes a lot of guts to do" I said admiringly. Ganju and Hanataro both nodded in response as we waited to see what would happen next. After a few moments, Renji jumped into the air and swung Zabimaru down on Ichigo. Luckily, Ichigo dodged it in time.

"You talk big, but all you can manage to do right now is stay standing. If you didn't exist...if she never met you, Rukia wouldn't have to go through all of this!" Renji angrily continued attacking and was quickly overpowering Ichigo.

"Grah! You won't get away!" Renji stated as he slashed at Ichigo's body. I was worried for Ichigo's safety, even though I knew he would win. Seriously, seeing someone you knew getting hurt literally breaks your heart. I swear, it's true. They both started panting heavily from the injuries they sustained. It was getting late and I knew that we had to end this soon. It was almost sunset now and we still had so much to do. The three of us that were watching the fight heard all kinds of crashes and explosions from within the vicinity. That's when Hanataro lost it.

"No way! This is madness! Taking on a Lieutenant? There's just no way Ichigo will win!" He started hyperventilating as I looked frantically about, wondering what the hell I should do in a situation like this.

_Aw, screw it! Who the hell gives a damn anyways?_

I pulled him close to me, wrapping my arms around him in a comforting hug.

"Shush! He'll. Be. Fine. Trust me, I know he'll be alright in the end." I gently rubbed soothing circles to try to calm him down. I punctuated the 'he'll be fine' part on purpose to tell them that I already knew the outcome of this battle. Hanataro looked up from where he was, blushing slightly in awkwardness.

"I-I see." he stuttered, going limp in my arms. We stayed like that for a few minutes, letting him catch his breath and relax, before I let go of my hold on him. Ganju stared at the two of us with an expression I couldn't identify. I just hoped it wasn't meant to be a bad one. After that little incident was all sorted out, we turned back to the fight at hand.

"You stupid fool! Do you really want to save Rukia that badly?" Renji asked.

"You idiot! Not want, I will!"

"Don't mess with me! It's your fault Rukia's going to be killed!" Renji shouted as he swung Zabimaru at him.

"I know that! That's why I have to save her!" Ichigo pushed back Zabimaru as he continued to stare at him. By the way Ichigo was staring at Renji, I could tell he was having a flashback of what Urahara taught him. I knew then that he had figured out Renji's attacks.

"Good job, Ichigo! You finally figured it out! Renji has a limit of three attacks before it has to retract back into a sword," I said gleefully.

"Huh, hey kid! How the hell did you know that? And it's Lieutenant Abarai to you!" Renji sneered at me.

"Duh! You ask around. Plus, as you said, you're a Lieutenant so it's only natural that people would tell others after seeing a Lieutenant in action. It's just gossip, so relax man. Oh, and I don't like formalities. Never have and never will. They're so annoying and useless in my opinion," I retorted with my hands on my hips. Seriously, Renji had a really bad attitude problem. And yes, I knew I had a death wish, but messing with him was just too good to pass up.

"Oh yeah, you smart-ass? Well you don't just tell other people's abilities right in front of the enemy. Even I knew that! What's your name and why the hell are you with _him_?" He raised his eyebrows, waiting for my response.

_Heh! Well, isn't this interesting? It looks like Renji's mistaken me for a fellow Soul Reaper. Oh well, let him think that for now. It just makes it all the more easier for me at the moment._

"My name's Ichigo Momosaki, but everyone calls me Momosaki. And I'm following _him_ because I want to. Why? You got a problem with that?" I said snobbishly, just to get a rile out of him. This was just too freaking good.

"Che! Hell yeah I have a problem with that! Don't you know that you'll be considered a traitor if you're ever caught? You'll be executed, you know?"

"I know, and I don't give a damn either way. Maybe if you'd just listen for once then maybe you would see _why _I'm helping them." I tried giving him a hint with the listening part, but I knew it was still too early for him to fully understand what I was trying to say.

"Tch! Well, don't blame me if you start to regret your decision. I'm just trying to help you. It's your funeral if you get caught aiding _them_," he spat out in disgust. I flinched at his tone. Great! I just made Renji hate me. Oh joy! [Note sarcastic voice]

"I know that and I don't care!" I stomped my foot and glared at him. It signified the end of the discussion. To continue would be a waste of time and we both knew it.

"Che, whatever! Just don't get in my way and keep your damn comments to yourself!"

"Hey, I'm your opponent here, not her," Ichigo interrupted as he put his theory to the test. But I could tell he trusted me somewhat. I could see it in his eyes as he glanced back at me. He charged and dodged 3 of Zabimaru's attacks. After the third one, he slashed at Renji, smiling all the while. He definitely had this in the bag. At the last possible second though, Renji dodged it and used Zabimaru to slice his shoulder.

"Oh God, Ichigo!" I yelled as he slammed into another wall and it broke under the sheer pressure. The sickening crack could be heard. I shuddered.

_Damn! I forgot to warn him that Renji would dodge that! Gah! I'm so stupid!_

I berated myself as I saw Ichigo staring at Renji in disbelief. He slumped onto the ground as Renji spoke.

"You look totally shocked that I was able to counter your attack. Looking for an opening between attacks is a good strategy. And your timing was perfect. So...why weren't you able to beat me? The answer is simple. Because _you_ must be slower than I am. Now do you understand? You _cannot_ save Rukia."

Renji turned a cold glare at him as he raised his sword and swung down. A big explosion resounded as debris flew all around us. Hanataro and Ganju gasped and said that he was a goner, but I knew better. The dust cleared to show Ichigo relatively unharmed. We all sighed in much needed relief.

"Ah! Ichigo, he's alive!" Hanataro cheered with renewed rigor. I smiled sadly in response and focused back on the fight, knowing that the outcome wouldn't be as good as they thought it would be.

"You truly are stubborn," Renji stated in loathing at how Ichigo just wouldn't stay down. Ichigo slouched on Zangetsu, eyes closed as he breathed heavily. This continued on for a few minutes as I realized that Ichigo was having flashbacks to Urahara's training. His eyes reopened as he stood up. Renji noticed his change in attitude and tensed. Ichigo lifted Zangetsu up to his back as the two next to me shifted anxiously.

"No! Don't do it, Ichigo!" Hanataro silently pleaded.

"Do you think he intends to keep fighting?" Ganju asked as I nodded.

"Knowing Ichigo, hell yeah. But this will be over soon. Looks like the little Berry has found his resolve," I smirked back as I saw their somewhat confused faces.

"Like seriously, stop doing that," Ganju stated. I raised my eyebrows up, knowing full well what he was talking about.

"Doing what?"

"You know what I mean. Talking about the future and all that. It's creepy as hell when you suddenly say things that make no sense to us until _after_ certain things happen."

"Aw, I'm sorry then. I didn't mean to leave you in the dark. Don't worry, next time I'll be sure to keep it to a minimum." I chuckled as he looked slightly miffed at my reply. Ah, teasing him was just too much fun. It wouldn't be too long now before the fight would be over.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I found my...resolve!" Ichigo eyes glowed blue. Renji gasped in surprise, obviously sensing the change.

"This time I _will_ get you." Blue light surrounded Ichigo, then suddenly disappeared. Reiatsu or spiritual energy came off of him as Renji and the rest of us struggled not to be blown away by it. I knew that Renji finally realized _what_ exactly he was up against now. I knew he realized that Ichigo knew what he was doing. This was _not_ a fluke like the last time. Ichigo leapt at him as he was hard pressed to counter all of Ichigo's attacks. It seemed like Ichigo was faster than ever before with his new found energy.

"Grah! Why you..." Renji growled. Ichigo ignored it and forged onwards as the last of the three attacks from Zabimaru came at him. He raised his sword up high as Renji realized his mistake.

_This it it! The Getsuga Tensho and the blow that will decide the battle!_

Blue spirit energy surrounded Zangetsu as Renji swung his sword. But by then it was too late. As soon as he did that, Zabimaru broke into pieces as Ichigo unleashed a mighty Getsuga Tensho.

"Get back guys! Hurry!" I shouted over the explosion as we dove behind a wall.

"Ahhhhhh!" Renji cried as he went flying towards one of the rocks. He slammed into it so hard that I thought it would crack under the pressure. Blood splattered onto the ground. Renji grunted in pain. He glared at Ichigo with all the hatred he could muster.

**"DAMN ITTTTT!"**

The ground was split wide open in a straight line from the attack. I knew Renji wouldn't be doing anything else for a while and decided it was time to come out of hiding. I immediately jumped over the slab of stone as I landed beside Ichigo.

"Hey, Ichigo! Are you okay?" He swayed on his feet. I caught him just before he could hit the ground.

"Y-yeah, I think so. Thanks."

"No problem, Berry-Head."

I smirked as he smiled in exhaustion. We stayed like that for a few minutes, with me holding onto Ichigo as he caught his breath. Then I realized that Renji was still thinking about his past with Rukia. I turned to Ichigo as I hesitantly let go. Once I was sure he could stand by himself, I spoke in a clear cut voice that left no room for argument, but also with a slight tease.

"Ichigo, I need to do something right now that's of great importance. You think you can handle yourself until I get back?"

"Heh! Who do you think you're talking to? Of course I can, Momosaki!" He smirked as I smiled and ruffled his hair. He huffed in annoyance that I was treating him like a little kid and I laughed. Then I cautiously walked over to Renji and knelt down.

"Renji, listen to me carefully. What I am about to say to you is extremely confidential and will only be between you and me, understand?" He nodded slightly in apprehension. At that point, he could care less that I called him Renji and not by his title. He was in no mood to argue right now, even I could tell that much.

"You might be thinking that it's Ichigo's fault that Rukia's being executed. Well, at least that's what I gathered from the fight. But I've spent a lot of time with him, and to tell you the truth, he's not necessarily the one to blame." He quirked an eyebrow at this but I continued, ignoring his questioning stare.

"Rukia _chose_ to give her powers to him. She was trying to _save_ him from a Hollow. He didn't just outright take it. I heard from Ichigo himself that there was no other choice at the time. He _knows_ that it was because of _him_ that Rukia is going die and it's _killing_ him inside." Silence ensued as I paused to see if Renji was still with me. He was.

"She saved him and now he's trying to save her. _That's_ why he's trying so hard to rescue Rukia. If it weren't for her, he and his family would all be dead. He owes her his life and this is his way of repaying his debt."

He slumped down a bit on his knees, sighing and closing his eyes. I gave him a few minutes to sort through his feelings for Rukia. He opened them and looked at me, waiting for me to go on. I smiled gently as I took in a deep breath.

"Renji, just by looking at you right now, I can tell that you're lost. Your eyes betray that fact. Listen, we all have these moments at least once in our lives where we don't know what to do next." He tensed and lowered his head in shame.

"It's okay, Renji. Really, it is. You might not know what to do right now, but always know that the answer is in your heart. Figure out your own path and follow it. We have to get going, but know that we're not the enemies here. We're just trying to help save Rukia," I finished with a sad yet friendly look. Then I saw his determination as he started getting up.

"Whoa there! You're in no shape to get up. At least let me help you." I held out my hand as he took it. I knew what he wanted to do so I put his arm around my shoulder. He grunted in pain. He looked at Ichigo as we slowly limped towards him. Blood continued to spill as I looked away from the sight. I felt nausea threatening to overcome me, but held it back. Ichigo watched us silently as Renji continued staring. Then he spoke in pained gasps.

"Now that I think back, I think that I was just scared to lose her. To lose the _only_ family I ever had. Not only that, I didn't want to face the fact that I'm nothing more than a stray dog. And I'm _so_ sick of it. All I do is bark wildly at the moon. I don't have the guts to actually bite."

We stopped as Renji shook me off. I don't think he meant it in a mean way. It was probably just his emotions taking over him for a second there. He fisted Ichigo's robes as he struggled to continue.

"All this time, I've been blaming you. That Rukia was in prison. Every time I thought of you, it made my blood boil. But I know now that I was wrong, it wasn't you." He started shaking as my hand reached out to comfort him. I stopped myself before I could though, knowing that it would be useless to do so.

"It was _me_ from the start. Because I didn't stop Rukia from going to the Kuchikis. I didn't want her to go. But I never imagined that if she did, she's end up being a condemned criminal. I thought that she would find happiness. I really believed that." Ichigo looked on in shock and pity at Renji's shaken form. His eyes were wide with sadness for him.

"How could I have ever known? And I wanted so badly to surpass Captain Kuchiki...for taking Rukia away from me. I trained with that thought in mind. But to this day, not once have I been able to defeat him. He's just too strong for me."

_Oh my God, this is it! This is one of the famous moments I've always wanted to see!_

I felt the need to cry at that point. I stifled them a bit so as not to interrupt Renji's speech. Hey, what can I say? I'm a sucker for sob stories. So sue me.

"So Ichigo, now I'm swallowing my shame and my pride...and I'm asking you to save Rukia! Will you promise? I'm begging you! Will you save her?" Renji continued breathing hard as he struggled to stay conscious, waiting to hear Ichigo's answer. Ichigo didn't know what to say for a few moments, trying to digest what was happening.

"Yes," he breathed out. Renji sighed in relief. Then he collapsed onto the floor while Ichigo followed soon after.

"I-Ichigo!" Ganju yelled out. I looked at the two now unconscious figures and rubbed away my tears. Now was not the time to act weak. We needed to get back to the sewers as quickly as possible. I could feel several Soul Reapers coming for us.

"He'll be alright. For now, let's just go back to the sewers and heal him," I stated.

"You guys, hurry! I see some people coming this way. Four, no, maybe five!" Hanataro said fearfully. Ganju picked Ichigo up while Hanataro grabbed his sword.

"Let's go, Momosaki!"

"Okay, I'll be right..." I grabbed my chest in pain. A huge shock wave overtook my body as I fell to the floor beside Renji.

**"UGH!"**

"Momosaki!" Both of them stopped abruptly to see what was wrong.

"Go! Just go! I'll be fine! Hurry up before they arrive!" I grounded out, eyes pleading with them to leave me behind as another shock came. They nodded reluctantly and ran away. At least I knew that Ichigo and the others would be safe from harm's way. But right now, I needed to worry about myself. My whole body was shaking in spasms. I had no idea what it was and it hurt like hell! I saw Izuru and the others coming my way. I gulped in fear, my eyes bewildered.

_Oh shit! God damn it! What the hell is going on?_

* * *

**Switch POV-In Another Dimension**

"Doctor, Doctor! Is she alright?" a woman's voice asked.

"I'm sorry, but she has some very serious injuries. Five broken ribs, a broken arm and leg, and a major head concussion. I'm sorry, but due to the head trauma she received, she might be in this coma for weeks, maybe even months, before she wakes up," the doctor replied.

"No, that can't be!" The woman rushed to the patient in the hospital bed. She threw her arms around the girl in a hug, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh my God! My precious little girl. Can't you do anything else?" the woman screeched hysterically to the doctor.

"I'm sorry, but there isn't anything more we can do for..." He was interrupted as the machines next to the girl started beeping.

"Hurry! She's going into cardiac arrest! I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you to step outside please. Come on! What the hell is taking so long!"

"What? But that's my..." the woman angrily stated as she tried to frantically push past the doctor to get to the girl.

"Hold on, just please hold on! Don't die! Oh God, please don't die!"

She grabbed hold of the girl as the people in the halls tried to see what was going on. One of the nurses nearby heard the commotion and went to get the equipment needed. The doctor took the woman rather roughly by the shoulders and shoved her out of the room.

"Again, I'm sorry. But please, we're just trying to do our job and we can't do that if you're in the way."

He locked the door behind him as the rest of the nurses entered. The woman slumped onto the floor as she started crying. The rest of the people in the emergency room stared at her in shock and pity.

"Clear!" one of the nurses said and a shock was delivered to the patient. It went on for a while before it calmed down minutes later.

"She's fine...for now at least" the doctor sighed.

**End POV**

* * *

_Epic plot twist right there everybody! Oh yeah! Anyway, this is the rewritten chapter and I hope you enjoyed it! I spent a lot of time trying to make sure everything flowed nicely, but for some reason I still feel like I could have done better. Oh well, maybe I'm just not giving myself enough credit. Haha :)_

_Thanks to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter and to all those who reviewed and supported my story so far! You guys are awesome! See ya later and until next time! Oh, and please, please review! Thanks in advance!;)_


	7. Busted!

******Chapter 6-Busted!**

I sucked in deep breaths as the shocks slowly wore off. Spying Izuru and some other Soul Reapers rushing towards me and Renji at an alarming rate, my face paled as I realized what this meant, and how it could jeopardize my plans.

_Ugh! What am I going to do now? I can't possibly go after Ichigo. He's too far away and I'm in no condition to run. Even if I do recover from this, there's no guarantee I'll be able to find Ichigo in time to warn him of Kenpachi. The sewers are way too big and I don't even know where they are down there. It could be days before I actually find them. Looks like I'm going to have to play it safe and pretend I'm really a Soul Reaper. Thank God for the clothes. Hey! This could be my chance to tell Toshiro and the others about Aizen and Gin. Sweet!_

Izuru stopped in front of me looking shell-shocked, gaping at Renji.

"What...what happened here?"

_Think Jen, think! What's a good excuse? Oh, I know! That'll work! It has to!_

"I-I was attacked by the Ryoka but then Lieutenant Abarai came and helped fend them off, sir." I stammered, doing my best to look nervous and scared.

"Hmm, that makes sense given his causalities," he mused, looking over at Renji again in pity and remorse. "What's your name and what squad are you from?"

"I-I'm Ichigo Momosaki, but everyone around here calls me Momosaki. I'm from the 10th Squad, Lieutenant Kira." I answered while stuttering a bit again to make my act more believable. Good, playing the part of the innocent victim is always a good strategy when you want to throw suspicion off of you.

"10th Squad, eh? Well then looks like we better get you and Renji back to the Barracks to look at your injuries. Hmm, we also have to contact your Captains too." he said thoughtfully, one hand under his chin in a thinking pose.

_No, not good! If he calls Toshiro then they'll definitely know that I'm not in his Squad and that I'm a Ryoka!_

"No! I'm fine, really. Please don't tell my Captain. He's had enough to deal with lately. It's just a couple of bruises. No need to worry over them." I said quickly, waving my hands in the air while getting up with much difficulty.

"But you're..." He saw my gaze, pleading him to just let it go. He sighed in resignation. "Okay then, I won't. But at least accompany us back to the Barracks. It's not safe here what with the Ryoka running around." He put his hands up in a placating gesture while looking around warily for any more enemies that might still be in the area.

"I...Okay," I answered, nodding to him after I seemed to give it some thought, at least to _him_ it looked that way. But inside, I sighed with relief. I was safe...for now. Izuru gave orders to the Soul Reapers to put Renji on a stretcher. As soon as they did that, I followed them back to whichever Barrack they were going to. It would most likely be the 6th because that's the Squad Renji was in and he was their Lieutenant too. It would only make sense to bring him back there. Word got around quickly among the Seireitei that Renji had been defeated. One of the people who heard was Momo and she came running over as quickly as she could.

"Oh Renji!" she gasped, putting her hands over her mouth in horror at the state he was in.

"If only I had gotten there sooner, I could've helped." Izuru sighed remorsefully to Momo.

"It's not your fault, Izuru. Don't blame yourself for this. How could we have known? But for the Ryoka to be _this_ strong to defeat even Renji. It's just..." she trailed off as she noticed me standing by the doorway. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. How rude of me. May I ask who you are?" Both she and Izuru turned to face me and my eyes widened a bit before they went back to normal. I opened my mouth to speak but Izuru saved me the trouble.

"Oh, she's from the 10th Squad. Her name's Ichigo Momosaki but she goes by Momosaki. The Ryoka attacked her so that's why I brought her here since it isn't safe anymore."

I glanced over to him and nodded my head slightly to show him my gratitude. He probably thought that I was hesitant to speak about what happened since it had been a traumatic experience for me. Not that I was complaining of course. Less work I would have to do and frankly I was tired as hell at that point.

"Oh dear! How horrible! I'm so glad you're alright though. Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you Momosaki." she said, bowing a little in greeting. I returned the favor and bowed. "Likewise, Lieutenant Hinamori." We were interrupted by Izuru clearing his throat.

"We should call in the 4th Squad. Renji needs medical attention, fast." Momo and I looked at each other and nodded in agreement. We could chat with each other later. Right now, Renji was on the verge of death.

"That will not be necessary," a cold voice boomed loudly.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Momo gasped.

"Put him in prison. I have no use for worthless fools. He fought the Ryoka alone. Defeat was not an option. The very sight of him breathing offends me." He scoffed, then his eyes glanced over at me before they focused back on his Lieutenant and the other two in front of him.

"H-How dare you! Is that how you treat your men?" she cried, astonished at how cruel Byakuya was being towards his injured Lieutenant when he was bravely trying to fend off the Ryoka from killing one of their own.

"Ah! I'm so sorry Captain Kuchiki! She didn't mean it!" Izuru shouted quickly as he shook his head at Momo, bowing down to Byakuya in the process. I could tell he didn't like the idea too but he could tell that this was _not_ the time to question their superiors. Momo's eyes softened as she looked down in defeat. She bit her lip and having no other choice, bowed down reluctantly.

"Please forgive me Captain. I didn't mean it." He turned and walked away without another word with that prissy princess attitude of his.

_Sheesh, what got stuck up his ass? He seriously needs to chill and relax a bit. Maybe he should get laid or something. He's such a stuck up prick. Still, he is kind of hot...whoa! Geez, I'm going into fangirl mode again! Just great! Before you know it, I'll turn into a Mary-Sue and God knows how much I abhor them!_

In all actuality, I did like him. But he seriously needed an attitude adjustment. I sighed from my spot in the shadows of the doorway. I had moved back there after Byakuya had left since I knew that Toshiro was coming soon. I didn't want him to see me otherwise he'd know I was a Ryoka.

"My, he really is cold as ice, isn't he?" another voice questioned and I automatically shivered. Hearing his voice in person was creepy beyond all get out. Sure, he was one of my favorite characters but to hear him like this, it was just...wow. I somewhat had a crush on him since I knew he wasn't exactly evil. But that still didn't mean I would forgive him for betraying Rangiku and Izuru. Man, he had a thing going with Rangiku and I really wanted to see them get together. But he threw that all away for Aizen even if it was just to find out how to kill him. Yes, that person was Gin Ichimaru who was casually leaning back against the wall opposite from where I was quietly hiding.

"Captain!" Izuru shouted happily.

"Don't worry, I'll call the 4th Squad so you won't get in trouble." Gin smiled his ever famous smile as he saw both of the Lieutenant's faces brighten.

"Really? you would do that? Oh, thank you Captain Ichimaru!" Momo cried gratefully, bowing low.

"Uh huh, sure. Let's go Izuru." He beckoned his Lieutenant forward and Izuru followed him out the door. Izuru nodded goodbye to both Momo and I. Gin looked over towards me and I noticed his eyes were slightly more scrutinized than usual, as if in deep thought. But no way, that wasn't right. But what if...? No, he couldn't have. He couldn't have already guessed that I was a Ryoka, right? I mean sure I was in the shadows but he wouldn't call me out, right?

_Oh no! Does he know? No, he can't possibly know. I look just like a regular Soul Reaper so of course he doesn't know that I'm a Ryoka. What the hell am I getting so worked up for? Nerves, that must be it. I must be nervous since Toshiro will be here soon._

Izuru shifted slightly in anticipation and worry. Izuru then went to introduce me when he noticed that _I_ was what was stopping his Captain from leaving. Suddenly Gin turned and continued walking out the door. Izuru quickly shut his mouth and followed silently behind. After they left, Momo sighed in relief again just as Toshiro popped up behind her.

"Whoa! Looks like Renji got it bad!" he joked, glancing down at Renji.

"T-Toshiro!" Momo squeaked.

"Hey, Hey! I'm a Captain now so call me by my title." he teased.

"Oh, that's not the point! Why do all you Captains sneak up on people like that? And why were sneaking up behind me, Toshiro? Oh wait! What are you doing here?" she asked him. Toshiro's face suddenly lost all its warmth as he warned her about Gin and Izuru.

_Good! At least Momo and Toshiro are on guard around Gin. But how to tell them about Aizen? Hmm, not that will be quite a challenge._

"By the way, who's over in the shadows?" He cocked over to where I was standing, motioning towards me.

"Toshiro! How can you not recognize your own squad members? Her name's Ichigo Momosaki and she's in your Squad!" she cried in surprise. Well, shit. I was totally screwed now.

_Thank you so much Momo. Just what I needed, Toshiro suspecting me of being a Ryoka. Great, I hate my life._ _What the hell did I do to deserve this?_

"What? I have no squad member named Ichigo Momosaki. Wait a minute...that must mean that she's an..." He trailed off as he spotted me creeping out of the room.

"Stop right there impostor!" I hightailed it out of there as soon as those words left his mouth.

_Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Not good, not good at all. Where the hell should I go? What the hell should I do? I seriously wasn't expecting to be caught this soon. Damn it! I should have been more careful! _

I ran at full strength and cursed to myself. He shunpoed right in front of me, effectively cutting off my escape route. I tried to back away but he muttered a Kido spell and my hands were forced behind my back. I fell to the ground with a grunt. He grabbed me by the arm as I let out a pained groan, dragging me to my feet.

"You're coming with me, Ryoka!" He snarled and glared at me. I paled and started sweating. I swear the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees, maybe even more. I shivered in fear and anticipation.

"I'm taking you to the Head Captain!" And just my luck, a Hell Butterfly appeared requesting all Captains for a meeting.

"Well, it looks like it's your lucky day," he sneered as he pushed me roughly towards the direction that I assumed was the Captain's meeting room.

_Yup! I'm totally screwed now! And if I remember correctly, it's the second Captain's meeting so Aizen should be there...**HOLY SHIT!** He didn't die yet! Oh God no! Now I'm really screwed! I'm gonna have to see him right now! OH SHIT! My life is officially over! _

I struggled against Hitsugaya and his grip tightened around my arms. "Keep still, Ryoka. I wouldn't do that if I were you. There's no escape for you now." he growled. I gulped. Somebody save me! Please!

* * *

After my attempt at struggling to break free of the Kido spell, I slumped over and sighed in resignation. I wish there was more I could do but I certainly didn't want to attack Toshiro for fear of him not taking it too well and actually killing me. After all, I _was_ a Ryoka and I knew the Soul Society had no tolerance for them whatsoever. Still, I didn't want to take any chances. It was better safe than sorry. Plus, he was my absolute favorite character in Bleach and I loved him to death!

But I also noticed something about him as he was leading me towards the 1st Squad Barracks. He really _is_ short. He only came up to about my chest. It says in an unofficial guidebook that he was 4'4'' and boy, were they right! I would've hugged him right then and there because he was so chibi and cute if he wasn't glaring at me with murderous intent. I smiled inwardly, trying to make light of the situation I was in, though it wasn't really doing any good to help relieve some of my worries. We stopped at a huge white double door with the number 1 in Japanese on it.

_Uh oh! This it is! Damn it! No going back now!_

I felt butterflies in my stomach. I was really, really nervous and scared for my life but maybe it was better this way. I could at least give them some hints that were very subtle. Nothing big like an outright accusation for fear of what Aizen would do. Plus, that would be stupid if I just blurted it out and they most likely wouldn't believe me and kill me right there. I had to do at least _something_ to help them out! All I did was help Ichigo, so now it's my turn to help the Soul Society.

I took a deep breath as the double doors opened to reveal the Captains excluding Toshiro lined up. He pushed me in as the doors closed. I could feel all the Captains staring at me. I stood up tall, not wanting to look weak even though I was scared shitless inside.

"What is the meaning of this, Captain Hitsugaya? Why are you bringing an unranked Soul Reaper into a Captain's Meeting?" Yamamoto growled, glaring first at him then at me.

I scowled at that. I hated Old Man Yama! He acted like he was all that. He totally assumes he knows everything just because he's the head honcho of this place when he doesn't even know squat. Still, I had to give him points in the strength factor because out of all the Captains, I could feel his spiritual pressure the most. It was like flames traveling up and down my body though they didn't burn, just smothered me a bit. I remembered his zanpakuto was also a fire style type so it fit perfectly with the description of his spiritual pressure. My focus was snapped back to reality when Toshiro started speaking.

"I'm sorry Head Captain, but she's not what she appears to be. She's actually a Ryoka disguised as one of us." he said as he pushed me forward. I stumbled a bit as I landed right in the middle of the two rows. There were several gasps and whispers. I saw Aizen raising an eyebrow. Che! That bastard. He probably already knew I was a Ryoka since he tends to know everything. The whispers quickly ended when Old Man Yama banged his cane on the floor.

"Silence! Now then, is it true what Captain Hitsugaya says girl? Are you a Ryoka?" His eyes flared in anger. I gulped and looked around the room to find some of the Captains glaring at me in hatred which included Toshiro, but not all. Gin was staring at me in interest, head tilting to the side. Did he remember me from back in the 6th Squad Barracks? But he never actually met me so that wasn't possible, right? Still, I would have to watch out for him.

I turned my attention to the rest of the Captains and noticed that Unohana and Ukitake were giving me looks of pity. Then they smiled just a bit as I continued looking at them. I don't know if they really cared for me or if they just wanted me to feel safe so that I could be a little more cooperative. Either way, I truly appreciated it. Kyoraku smiled slightly too as my eyes gazed at him. Komamura, Tousen, Soifon and Toshiro just narrowed their eyes though. Byakuya looked indifferent while Kenpachi had this feral grin on his face. I shivered. I definitely did not want him to fight me. I gulped and shivered even more as I saw Mayuri taking out a notepad and started writing, gazing at me like I was some kind of test subject ready to be dissected. Of course, I wouldn't doubt it since that's how he was.

Then I glanced at Aizen and immediately felt my stomach lurch. He was definitely taking note of me, and not in a good way either. Gods, I hated him! Even though he's really hot when he takes off his glasses, I still want him to burn in hell for all the sins he committed! My hands were still tied behind my back as I thought nervously to myself. There were a couple of choices I could choose from which included...

1. Run the hell out of the room screaming bloody murder. But that was stupid because they could catch me in a flash, quite literally.

2. Try to fight them. But that was impossible because I was just a human with no powers at all.

3. Tell them the truth and complete truth. But that would result in Aizen killing me for knowing too much as well as gaining the disapproval of all the Captains for accusing one of their own of such treasonous acts. Or...

4. Lie to them and tell the truth at things I thought would help me warn them about Aizen.

Yup, that last one could work to my advantage! Number 4 it is then! I am on a roll here, people!

"Yes..." I began hesitantly. "I am a Ryoka." I looked at the old man nervously as he observed every move I made, scrutinizing me in a way that made me feel insignificant.

"Hmph, so you are huh? Well first off Ryoka, let me commend you for making it this far and for being able to withstand the force of our spiritual pressure in this room. You must have some very high spiritual powers of your own to be able to stand yet alone talk." The Captains didn't look at all fazed by this information since it was quite obvious to them. But to me, it was a totally different story.

_What? What the hell is he talking about? I have high spiritual powers? But that's impossible! I'm just a human so I can't have powers! But then again, this is Bleach so why am I so surprised? Anything can happen here, so why can't I have powers too? I'm going to have to try them later if I can call them out, but definitely now is not the time to do that._

My eyes narrowed in thought. "So Ryoka, you and your little friends have caused quite a commotion. Tell me, who are you and what are you doing here? What's your purpose for coming here and how many of you are there?" Yamamoto asked as most of the Captains leaned forward in interest, awaiting my answer. The ones who didn't really care were Byakuya and Soifon.

"Well for starters, my name is Ichigo Momosaki and I'm..." I began but Toshiro interrupted me with an outstretched arm.

"Your real name, Ryoka!" He growled and the Captains looked at him then at me.

"Fine! My real name's Jenny, Jenny Kadaline and I'm a human. There are 4 others besides me and they're human too. As for why we're here, we've all come to save Rukia Kuchiki from her execution." I huffed at the end, rolling my eyes. I would have crossed my arms too but they were unfortunately tied up. Ukitake's eyes lit up and Unohana had a thoughtful expression on her face. It was Byakuya's turn to raise his eyebrows as well as Toshiro's and Tousen's. Old Man Yama grunted in amusement, either for our reasons for coming to the Soul Society or the actions I made.

"To save that girl from death, you say? Well, I'm sorry to say that it cannot be done. Her fate has been decided. Now then, do you know where your friends are?" The Head Captain's voice softened and took on a gentle tone, trying to get me to trust him and open up more. Like hell I would after he glared at me like that! Did he think that I was _that_ stupid? That I was some weak, naive little girl?

I knew better than to tell him that information. He didn't care about us at all. We already defeated a Lieutenant so there was no way he would trust us. Hell, this meeting was supposed to be a meeting in which he declared an all-out war on the Ryoka. So with that in mind, I put my ingenious plan into play. I took in a deep breath and lied to him.

"No, I honestly don't know where they are. Last I saw them was at the barrier field. We got split up after that." I glared at Gin, Tousen, and Aizen, plus the others as well to avoid suspicion.

It would seem strange if I wasn't angry at all at the situation I was in. After all, I was taken prisoner and had to give information on the whereabouts of my friends to the enemies. Though of course they weren't my enemies at all, well everyone besides Aizen and Tousen, but that was obvious. Gin wasn't really on my extreme hit list but he was notable to watch out for lest he give Aizen any unwanted information on me and what I can do.

"But what I _do_ know is that we're only here to save Rukia. That and nothing else." I decided to take a risk and added something I hoped I wouldn't regret later.

"We would never _**kill** _anyone, ever. We aren't the blood thirsty monsters you make us out to be with your actions and speech. We just want to save Rukia that's all, honest." I put emphasis on the word kill and stared at the Captains in earnest, begging for them to believe me. My glares lessened and I could feel my mask starting to slip away. I didn't want to pretend to be hostile anymore. I needed them and I wanted to become their friends in the future.

I didn't add anything else because I knew I hit a nerve with Aizen as he flinched just a bit when I said that we wouldn't kill anybody. Ha! Take that sucker! Now if they would only believe me then Aizen's plan to stage his death would be ruined.

"I'm sorry, but I find that very hard to believe. You have severely injured one of our Lieutenants. Bad enough that he might not make it. And that brings us to what I originally planned for this meeting. Since one of our Lieutenants is out of commission, obviously we cannot leave the situation to lower ranked officers. Therefore all senior officers, including Captains, will be permitted to carry the zanpakuto at all times!" His tone was very serious as he got nods of acknowledgment from his subordinates.

"We're allowed to carry the zanpakuto at all times?" Tousen asked, quirking an eyebrow. Yamamoto nodded back and spoke again, this time addressing Gin's actions from before.

"Consequently, no disciplinary actions will be taken against Ichimaru for his early, independent actions." Some of the Captains were a bit shocked whereas a couple others were disappointed or just didn't care. I could probably imagine Aizen smirking on the inside. I inwardly smirked as well.

_Jerk! Everything's going according to plan, isn't it? Well tough luck! I'm here now so you're going to have to step up your game_ _if you want to win!_

"Why thank you, sir." Gin responded, bowing slightly. Yamamoto then banged his cane down on the floor, starling everyone as I prepared to hear the official declaration that would spell trouble for me, Ichigo, and the rest of us trying to help Rukia.

"Everyone! Let us declare an all-out war on these Ryoka!" Since I was standing close to Aizen, I saw him glancing at Gin as that was said. My blood boiled and I growled menacingly under my breath. Aizen must have heard because he turned his head towards me, an inquiring expression on his face. Hopefully he just saw that as irritation at the declaration instead of at him.

_You stupid bastard! Stop acting so innocent! Go to hell you jerk!_

"What? No way! Please! You can't! We're not..." I yelled but I knew that would happen. It was all just for show. Again, it would be suspicious if I didn't protest against the declaration.

"Enough! Put this girl in prison! We know enough thanks to you so we won't kill you at the moment. Perhaps we can even use you again but instead as bait to lure out your friends. Surely they wouldn't let one of their comrades die at the hands of the enemy, now would they? This Captain's meeting is dismissed!" Yamamoto shouted out, banging his cane again like a judge did after sentencing their victims to their deaths. The Captains nodded and started scuffling out as soon as he announced the meeting was over.

I gasped. My eyes widened as I took in what he said. I was shocked. I was completely shell-shocked that he would consider such a thing.

_Is he actually going to use me as a hostage? He can't! That's just not...but then again, why not? To him, I'm just a nuisance that needs to be dealt with ASAP. But seriously, prison? If I'm locked up, I won't be able to help anyone! I can't let that happen!_

I knew that this would be my only chance to survive so I summoned up enough courage and tried to run. Emphasis on tried. Screw if they could catch me! They don't care about me! They just wanted information! Unfortunately, my sense of balance was thrown off since my hands were tied. Plus, Toshiro saw me try to bolt out the door and shunpoed towards me. He got me by the arm, but because of the force of me running and him pulling me back, I tripped and landed...right on top of him.

"Oomph!"

I groaned and stared into his eyes. Some of the Captains who were still in the room gasped at this. I ignored it and focused instead on that famous eye color of his. They were truly beautiful. I blushed. Ah man, I was acting like a total Mary-Sue again! No! I snapped out of it when I heard him saying to get off of him. Even though I wanted to stay like that, I knew this was my chance to warn him.

"Be careful Toshiro. Watch over Momo. Be on guard with Gin and remember that not everyone is who they pretend to be." I whispered in his ear as I slowly got up with much difficulty, considering how the use of my arms was incapacitated.

"Heh, heh, sorry about that." I chuckled awkwardly, smiling while rubbing my head. The rest of the Captains stopped staring and left the room. Two guards came up behind me and grabbed my arms, restraining me. They glared at me as if daring me to try and escape.

_Not like I could go anywhere, anyway. Che! Look what happened just right now! I'm so freaking useless damn it!_

I immediately recognized their outfit to be that of the Punishment Force and I knew that you definitely didn't want to mess with them. That would be suicide and I enjoyed living right now, thank you very much. At least now I knew that I had some powers. But just what were they? Were they like Orihime's or like a Soul Reaper's or maybe something entirely different that was unique to me and only me? I didn't know but I was definitely going to try them out sometime. Wait a minute! Maybe if I learned how to use them, I could bust out of the cell! Yeah, perfect! Jenny's back in action you guys!

As they lead me to my cell, I saw Toshiro gaping at me in shock and I could feel Aizen and Gin staring at me as I walked out into the hallway. I noticed them sharing a glance before I was led away. Oh boy, not good. To have both of them staring at me like that...just great. So much for them not being suspicious of me. I sighed and avoided their eyes, looking at the ground instead like a person guilty of treason.

* * *

_**Hey guys! This is the last rewritten chapter! I'm finally finished rewriting all the chapters! Sorry for taking so long to finish this! Hope you enjoyed them and thanks for sticking with me all this time! You guys are the best, you know that? Haha ^^**_

_Sorry about this guys but I realize I said that I would put in different Captains' POVs in this chapter. I decided against it because I didn't know where to put it and the ideas I had just weren't making sense. Still, I did variate their reactions and what they said a bit. And I think the parts with Aizen and Gin are enough to say that they will be wary of Jenny from now. Oh, this is so exciting. Aizen will now be keeping tabs on Jenny. How will she fare against it? Haha Read to find out guys!**  
**_

_And now Jenny knows she has powers. Will she be able to use them to break out of jail or is it just not meant to be? The answer to that will be in the next chapter! __And I know that some of you are wondering when she's going to fight back or at least have some kind of power to help her out instead of doing nothing but talk. Don't worry, her powers will show up in the next two chapters. I wanted to have her grow and learn instead of having Soul Reaper powers right off the bat when helping Ichigo. Also, she doesn't have any sword training whatsoever besides taking a couple of self-defense lessons. Yeah, she knows how to swing and block but that's about it. She can't adequately defend herself with just her sword alone. You have to remember that because she sure as hell doesn't want to piss off any of the Captains by attacking them, only to find out she can't even hold her own against them. Not that she really had a chance anyway, but just saying. _

_Anyway, __I hope that cleared some things up for you guys! And I'll see you next chapter! Oh, and thank you to **Swirlzsmile** for beta-reading this chapter and all the others on here. I truly appreciate your help!XD_

_Please review guys! Thank you in advance! Love ya!X3_


	8. Helping Toshiro

**Chapter 7-Helping Toshiro**

The cell they chose for me was in Squad 10. Go figure. It's like everything in this story has to deal with either Toshiro or Ichigo. Not that I minded, of course. They _are_ my favorite characters after all, so maybe that's why. The two guards pushed me in roughly. Can you say 'ouch' much? They took my zanpakuto and hung it on a wall about three feet away.

Whoa! Wait a minute! Since when did I refer to that sword as mine? It was from a random Soul Reaper, so why did I think that? I guess it just showed how badly I wanted one of my own. Maybe in time I would. And who _wouldn't_ want their own zanpakuto anyway? It's awesome just thinking about it! How could you resist? When the Head Captain tells you that you have high spiritual powers, of course you're going to think about if you could become a Soul Reaper like them. Well, that's what a typical Bleach otaku like me would think anyway.

But I had other things to worry about. If I _did _have high spiritual powers, I could use them to bust out of here. Unfortunately, I didn't know how to call upon them. I would have asked my _own_ zanpakuto about it, but that sword over there wasn't mine so that was completely out of the question. [sigh]

_Oh well, looks like I'm on my own for now. Note to self, after all this is over, ask the Head Captain if I could take some Soul Reaper lessons. Maybe then I could learn how to control my powers and gain a zanpakuto of my own._

But that was beside the point. What the hell was I supposed to do now? If I were to break out of here right at this moment, I could try to find Ichigo in time to fight Kenpachi. Just a couple of problems though. The first was that I had no clue where they were in the sewers and trust me, one could get lost easily in there. Second, I just got here about 5 minutes ago, so the guards outside were on high alert because I was a Ryoka and all.

Plus, I didn't have any insane physical strength to bend the cell bars when no one was looking. Ha! I wish! Maybe I could be like 'The Hulk'? Anyway, there was also the fact that I didn't have any bobby pins to pick the lock with. That would've been so easy, now wouldn't it? But no, this was Bleach so I'd have to rely on my powers. Ugh! Seriously guys? Are you _trying_ to make my life difficult or do you really enjoy watching me suffer?

But maybe I could wing it like Ichigo does most of the time. The thing is, I wasn't like Ichigo who was a natural at almost everything he did. I was just _me_, an ordinary girl who fell into the world of Bleach. But... it was worth a shot though. But definitely at a later time. I could feel the glares in front of me and I certainly didn't want to take the risk of angering anybody. With that out of the way, I looked around and noticed there was a bed and a chair. There was also some food lying on a table. That was it though. It's a prison, what did you expect?

_Wait a minute! Food! My lovely, lovely food! Thank you, God!_

I hadn't eaten for about a day so I was seriously starving. I picked up the tray which consisted of steamed fish and rice, gulping it down in a matter of minutes. It was good for Soul Society food. It didn't taste all that different from what I had in my world. After I finished, I sat on the bed and decided to sleep on it. I was so tired after all that happened.

_Maybe it would be better if I stay here for a while. I'll figure out what to do later after I get some well-deserved rest._

With that in mind, I went to sleep.

* * *

**Switch POV-In Another Dimension**

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I should've listened to you. I'm so sorry," I heard a woman's voice say. There were a couple of figures standing beside her.

_Huh? What is this? Is this a hospital? Who's that woman? And who are the ones next to her? I can't see their faces!_

I looked around the room. It was clearly a hospital but I couldn't tell who the figures were. I could make out the woman, but just barely. I saw her hovering over a body in a bed. Like the woman, I couldn't see her face though I could tell it was a girl. I was so confused. Just what the hell was going on? Was this supposed to be some kind of joke? Either that or this was a really, really poorly made dream.

_Why am I seeing this? Is this supposed to mean something?_

"Don't worry, it's not your fault. It was just a horrible accident. That's all." This came from the only male standing next to the woman. I couldn't see his face either, even when I strained my eyes to get a better look.

"No, it is! If only I had stopped her, this wouldn't have happened!" She leaned over the bed and kissed the girl on the forehead.

"I'm so sorry..." she started, but I couldn't hear the rest as I felt a sharp tug at the center of my being. It was time to go but I didn't want to. I needed to find out what was happening.

_No! Not yet, please not yet! I want to find out what this means! Please!_

But it was all for naught as I was sucked back into reality.

**End POV**

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" I shot up in the bed and panted heavily, scared and anxious at the dream I had.

_What the hell was that? Who were they? Just what's going on?_

I hadn't thought about my world since I came here. The hospital looked like the ones I was used to. That scene made me think about how my mom would react if she found out I died. In fact, that was probably exactly what she would do. But that was just a coincidence since I was actually dead and not alive anymore. Right? Unfortunately, I couldn't shake off the feeling that the dream had some sort of connection to me. Just what did it mean? And that brought about other questions I had.

Would my mom forgive me for the words I said to her? I know it was really harsh but I was so fed up at the moment. I wished to take everything back because that was certainly _not_ how I pictured my last words to her were going to be. I at least wanted to say that I loved her for all the things she'd done for me. No wonder people say to not hold grudges because you never know what's going to happen in the future. Oh well, it was too late now to fix anything. I was in another world and I was going to have to get used to that. I had a new life to live out. A new life filled with protecting my friends and sharing their adventures and hardships. I smiled softly and looked around, noticing it was night time. I frowned as I realized what that meant.

_Oh shit! I overslept! I'm so sorry, Ichigo!_

I frantically tore off the covers and walked to the only guard on duty.

"Excuse me, guard? What's the recent news going on outside?"

_Please tell me! Please tell me! Please tell me!_

"Well, I shouldn't be telling you this, but I guess it's okay" he replied thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

_Yes!_

"It seems that one of your friends managed to defeat the Captain of the 11th Squad, Kenpachi Zaraki."

_Hmm, so it's that late in the game, huh? Well then, Ichigo should be starting his Bankai training and Toshiro will be fighting Gin soon. Wait a minute! It's dark outside so that must mean that Toshiro's fight with Gin is right about now! God damn it! I think now's the time to bust out of here. I have to help him!_

Okay, so this was Bleach. Because of my high spiritual pressure, I'm going to assume I can do Kido. So whenever the Soul Reapers want to do Kido, they usually have to concentrate their spirit energy. Che! Easier said than done.

_Okay, okay. Concentrate. Focus your energy and gather it up. Let it flow through your body._

I took several deep breaths, gritting my teeth in concentration. I imagined the energy gathering all around me and focused it in the center of my hand. After a minute or two, the energy started getting denser and denser. I could feel its heat flowing through me. That was definitely a good sign. I gathered the energy into my fingertips and a quivering ball of red light started forming in my palm. The guard sensed a change in the air and was startled as he saw what I was doing. He took out his zanpakuto but I didn't give him a chance to attack me.

_Now!_

"Hado #31, Shakkaho, Red Flame Cannon!" The ball of energy left my hand and crashed into the cell bars, breaking them. It hit the guard right in the chest. Haha, bull's eye!

_Whoa! Awesome! I can't believe it actually worked! Score!_

He landed with a thud on the floor and I checked to see if he was unconscious.

_Yep! Definitely out cold. Sorry buddy, but that was for the greater good of your universe_.

I sighed, going over to the wall and picking up the zanpakuto they took from me.

"Now to go save Momo and Toshiro! I hope I make it in time!" I muttered as I exited the room.

* * *

I continued running from the 10th Squad Barracks. I didn't know where I was going. I just picked a random direction and prayed it led to the 3rd Squad. I panted from the strain.

_Urgh! Why can't I shunpo? Wait, why can't I shunpo? I just did Kido so maybe I could try shunpoing my way over there. Sweet! It's worth a try though._

In Bleach, you could shunpo while running or standing still. Since I was on a time constraint, I decided to try it while running.

_Hmm, usually when they shunpo it's all really fast. It doesn't seem they need to concentrate unlike Kido. It's like they will it to happen. I think I'll try it and see what happens. Okay, so here goes. Please let me shunpo, please let me shunpo! I got to help them!_

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

"Oh God no! Please, I need to help them! Please let me shunpo!" I muttered frantically. Suddenly, I felt my whole body shoot forward and my stomach lurched at the sudden force. I ended up a few yards ahead of where I was before. But even with the sudden movement, I didn't stop running.

"Yes! Thank you God! Now let's see if I can try that again!" I said excitedly. I willed myself to shunpo again and managed it. After a few times, I was shunpoing with minimal damage. My stomach didn't lurch at the sudden movements anymore and I felt like I was shunpoing for years.

_Whee! This is really fun!_

I pasted the 9th and 8th Squads so I knew I was heading in the right direction. The Squad Barrack numbers were going down. I was going to reach the 3rd Squad pretty soon. When I got to the 6th Squad, I saw Renji running straight ahead of me.

"Renji!"

He turned a little but didn't stop running. I smiled and waved. He smiled too as I caught up with him. I stopped shunpoing, but kept on running. We didn't have any time to waste. We both knew that. And it might not look it, but shunpo takes a lot out of you. I was really tired.

"Momosaki, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Ichigo?"

_Hmm, I think I should tell him the truth now that all the Captains know about me. But not the seer excuse though. Now is __**definitely**__ not the time or place for that. We have other things to focus on._

"Yeah see, about that Renji, I'm not who I pretend to be. It seems that most people aren't these days. You see, I'm actually a Ryoka. Since I know a lot about the Soul Society, I managed to blend in. But I slipped up and the Captains caught me. I just broke out of jail a few minutes ago. Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to deceive you. I just wanted to help Ichigo rescue Rukia. And if that meant pretending to be a Soul Reaper to get information on her whereabouts, then so be it. My real name's Jenny Kadaline by the way."

My eyes locked with his, telling him I really _was_ sorry. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I... it's okay. I guess I understand. You did what you had to do. To be honest, I sort of guessed that. I mean, you were so familiar with me and I never even saw you before. You also knew a lot about my abilities so I should have known that something was up. I mean, I kind of did but I didn't really dwell on it, ya know? There were more things to worry about especially since Rukia's execution dates were moving up. And that excuse you gave was pretty vague in itself. Still, I'm glad I got to meet you. Without meeting you and Ichigo, I never would have known who my true enemy was."

He sighed, in disappointment and understanding, as I nodded with relief. We stayed silent for a couple of minutes.

"Renji, listen to me. If you want to beat Byakuya, you need to get stronger. You need to obtain Bankai and..." I didn't get to finish as Renji spoke in surprise.

"Was it_ that_ obvious?"

"Haha, yeah. It was _that_ obvious. Ever since you told me your feelings towards Byakuya. That's who you need to fight right now in order to prove yourself and most of all to save Rukia. As I was saying, you need to obtain Bankai in order to defeat him. Ichigo's training right now with Yoruichi..."

"Wait a minute. Yoruichi Shihoin? _Th_e Yoruichi Shihoin who aided the traitor Urahara Kisuke with his experiments 100 years ago?"

"Yup, that's the one. But you should really get your facts straight. Those are just rumors. You don't even know the half of it."

He scoffed. "Yeah right, and I suppose you do?"

My eyes narrowed as I muttered darkly, "Why yes, I actually do. It's the benefit of being a Ryoka." He raised his eyebrows in shock at the tone I gave. He ignored inquiring about the rest of what I said for fear of angering me even further. I sighed as I shook my head.

"Sorry about that. I shouldn't have gotten so carried away. I just hate it when people accuse others of things they didn't do without first hearing the full story." Renji stared in surprise as he processed what I told him. Let him chew on that for a while. I seriously didn't want to go into detail about why Urahara was innocent and how Aizen framed him.

"Anyway, Ichigo and Yoruichi are training in an underground training center. Follow their spiritual pressure and train with them. The trail will be faint at first but I'm sure you'll find it," I said, trying to pinpoint where the training ground was.

_Whoa! Since when was I able to sense spiritual pressure and who it belonged to? I didn't think anything of it before, but maybe this is proof that I can become a real Soul Reaper someday._

He nodded. "Thanks. I'll be sure to do that. But what about you? Where are you going?"

"Well, I'm on my way to the 3rd Squad to stop Momo from making a bad decision and to save Toshiro from danger."

I knew he wanted to follow me but he also knew he had other things to attend to. We nodded to each other and smiled, wishing each other a silent goodbye and good luck. We turned on our heels towards our destinations. I started shunpoing again when I felt a huge burst of spiritual pressure. I knew it was Toshiro's. A second one followed and I knew that was Gin's.

_Just a little farther! Almost... there!_

I stopped and saw Toshiro and Gin getting ready to fight. Momo was lying on the floor and Izuru was standing on the sidelines, dumbstruck in awe.

"Ah, so the Ryoka girl's back, huh?" Gin teased.

"You're damn right I am!"

"My, my, how rude. Someone needs ta teach ya a lesson on how ta talk to yer elders."

By this time, the sky had darkened and Toshiro called out Hyourinmaru. A wave of ice surged forward and I knew that Izuru was in deep trouble. I rushed over to him and I shouted a random Kido spell that came into mind. There was no time to think. I had to act now!

"Bakudo #81, Severing Void!"

I prayed that it would work. And it did. A transparent shield formed and blocked the attack. Pure awesomeness I say!

"Thanks!" Izuru said, relieved at being saved. I smiled as I kneeled down next to him on the floor. As the two fought, I decided I had enough time to tell him about who I really was and about me being a seer. It took a couple minutes to explain, but once I had, all hell broke loose.

"What? That's not possible! No one can see the past, present, and future through dreams alone! That's obscene, absolutely unheard of!" He was getting angry and I could feel his anger raising. I didn't want to make a scene and have Toshiro or Gin focusing their attention on us so I tried to calm him down. It was understandable that Izuru was acting like this. He was a down to earth kind of guy and settled for logical explanations, much like Toshiro. So to have me say something like this totally goes against his way of thinking.

"But it _is_ true and I can prove it. When you first met Renji, he was trying to prove that he was stronger than you in a match. He landed a really hard blow on your chest which cost him a lot of respect from your classmates. They didn't like how he treated you harshly. But you didn't care and sat next to him during a break. You met Momo and the three of you became best friends. Need I say more?"

"H-how do you know that? The details you put in were way more than what most people could provide. You would have to have been there to recall all that. But you just said yourself that you're a Ryoka, so then how...?"

"That's what I've been _trying_ to you, Izuru. I am a Ryoka and I've never been here before. The only way I know of this is because I saw it with my own eyes through a dream I had. I am a _seer_. I know the past, present, and future because of what I am." He still had a look of doubt on his face.

"I'm sorry. I want to trust you but... but I cannot. I cannot disobey my orders. As a Lieutenant it is my duty to serve my captain. You're asking me to be wary of him and I can't do that. Not now, not ever. It's true that I might not know what he's doing, but... I trust Captain Ichimaru with my life. I will continue to serve him. That's part of a Soul Reaper's duty, especially as a Lieutenant."

I sighed in disappoint. Well this was a let down. I thought for sure I would be able to win Izuru over. I turned back to the fight, only to whip around and look at Izuru when he added something else that made my hopes soar.

"But..." He fidgeted with his robes and looked down. I stared, anxiously awaiting what he was going to say.

"But I don't think you're bad or anything. In fact, I think it's very noble of you to go this far to save Ms. Kuchiki. I can understand that. So... I guess you have... a bit... of my trust and admiration. But just a bit," he said nervously and quickly at the end.

_Awwws, so sweet! Kyaaa! Cute little Izuru!_

I shook my head and smiled at him. It caught him off guard. "Thanks Izuru, you have no idea how much this means to me. I understand your feelings but I have to implore you to not tell your captain or anyone else about me being a seer. Unless I give the okay, please don't let it get around. I would rather not have people know about this, after all, it _is_ a dangerous ability."

He contemplated this a bit before he nodded. "I understand. Right now your mission is to save Ms. Kuchiki while mine is to follow my captain. If word about your abilities got out, it would only hinder you. Therefore I will not tell my captain or anyone else until you say otherwise. After all, you did save me back there. Consider this payback. But just this once, okay?"

I grinned at his acceptance and nodded. At least I was making progress with him, right? Even if I didn't gain his complete trust it was still a start. I think at this point I was getting used to the fact that I didn't need to have _complete_ acceptance of who I was from everybody I told that I was a seer. Unbeknownst to me, this fact would help me later on when I talked with Captain Unohana about a couple of pressing issues I had.

He smiled back as we focused our attention to the fight in front of us. I noticed that Gin's sleeve was cut and knew what he was going to do.

"Captain Hitsugaya, look out! He's going to rip his sleeve and throw it at you!" I yelled as Gin was in the process of doing just that, his eyes widening for a split second at the sudden outburst. Toshiro also had to stop for a moment to process how I knew that. After another moment, he was back to his old self and continued fighting Gin. I could tell he was glad for the help though. Without it he would've created an opening for Gin to injure him just like in the anime.

The fight continued until Toshiro managed to encase Gin's arm in ice. I ran over to Momo, unsheathing the zanpakuto I had. I held it in front of me as I turned my body to shield Momo. If Rangiku didn't come and stop Gin's blade, then _I_ would have to. Momo needed to be protected at all costs. She was an important player in the game too even if she didn't have much screen time in the manga or the anime. Better to be safe than sorry. Who knows... maybe my presence here affected the events in Bleach somehow. You could never be too sure. Though I was pretty sure that Rangiku would show up though, at least I hoped she would.

"Duck, Hitsugaya!" Gin's sword came hurling towards him. He got out of the way thanks to my warning. Gin chuckled as he noticed Toshiro dodging his sword.

"Ya sure ya wanna dodge that? If you do, they'll die."

"Momo, no!" Toshiro yelled. _Geez, what am I? Chop liver?_ But that thought was short lived as the blade came straight at me.

For some odd reason, I somehow managed to keep my cool even though I was scared as hell. I felt rather than saw the blade coming at me. My heart pounded in my chest and I was sweating bullets on the inside. As the blade drew nearer, I swallowed my nervousness and steadied my blade. I smirked as the blade came within reach. It looked like I was on my own now. Rangiku wouldn't be here to save me. With that in mind, I sucked in a deep breath and prepared for the consequences that would surely follow. I would either stop his sword like I intended to or get my own sword broken by his, thus leading to injury and/or death.

True, this was reckless of me especially since I still had so much more to do. But I was tired of not doing anything to help the others. If I could give my life to save Momo's, then so be it. The show _must_ go on. I was never supposed to be here in the first place so it wouldn't matter much if I was gone, right?

The time had finally arrived. The blade was only a mere inch away from me.

_This is it!_

I gritted my teeth together, then smiled happily. I completely accepted whatever consequences that were going to happen. Suddenly, a blur raced right in front of me and blocked it with their own sword. I sat there shocked that I wasn't the one to stop the attack. After a few moments to collect my bearings, I let out a huge sigh of relief and relaxed my grip on the sword.

_Whew! We're saved! Though that was a total waste of mental preparation. And I was so resolved to help protect Momo. Geez, that just sucks! But I guess it was for the greater good that __**I**__ didn't stop Gin's sword. This encounter with Rangiku and Gin was supposed to happen and it showed that Gin still has feelings for her._

"Please put away your sword, Captain Ichimaru! Otherwise you will have both of us as your opponents," Rangiku called out. Her sword trembled and began to crack from the strain. Gin saw this and scoffed. He called back Shinso and said to take care of Momo first before worrying about him. He shunpoed away, leaving the rest of us utterly confused. Meanwhile, Gin was also confused as to what just transpired.

* * *

**Switch POV-Gin**

He walked over to the Central 46 Chambers quietly, so as not to draw attention. What would it matter anyway? The Central 46 was already dead and Aizen had his hypnosis working on the rest of the Soul Society. It wouldn't be suspicious for a Captain to be up and about this late at night for the Ryoka had everyone on high alert. Just as Aizen planned. Soul Society would never see it coming.

Inside, he felt a twinge of guilt and pity for what was about to happen. But he shook it off just as quickly. There were more pressing issues to worry about. Like whom that girl was...

She knew his moves even before he made them. She even went to Momo before he called out Shinso to protect her. And the way she was acting when his sword came at her. She didn't even blink! Like she knew what was going to happen and that Rangiku would come and save them. Not to mention her unusually high spiritual pressure when he first saw her. He should report this to Captain Aizen immediately, though he was pretty sure he already knew. He knew Aizen got that subtle hint of hers in the meeting room by the way he was staring at her. Well, things were definitely going to get even more interesting with this girl now involved in the battle. That was for sure.

**End POV**

* * *

_Thanks for waiting guys! This is the rewritten chapter that so many of you have been waiting for. It's been like two months and I'm so sorry for that! I've been kind of stressed out with school. I know that's not much of an excuse but I've been trying my best to rewrite this. Thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta reading this chapter and all the others in this story. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you next time! Bye guys and I love you!X3_

_Review please?_


	9. Stop the Execution!

**Chapter 8-Stop the Execution!**

As soon as Gin left, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Then I looked to see if Izuru was alright, but he must have disappeared during the fight when I wasn't looking. But for now my first priority was taking care of Momo and getting her to the hospital. The rest wasn't as important.

"Momo! Is she alright?" Toshiro asked, eyes furrowed as he shunpoed over to us on the floor.

"She should be if we can get her over to the 4th Squad Barracks. Rangi...Lieutenant Matsumoto, could you please help me carry her?" I asked her and she nodded, ignoring my slip-up. We gently picked Momo up by both her arms and draped them over our shoulders. Toshiro watched anxiously as we did so.

"By the way, my name's Jenny Kadaline and it's nice to finally meet you, Rangiku." I added.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you too, Jenny. But please, call me Rangiku. You tried to protect Momo even though it could have cost you your life. For that, I thank you. Therefore you can just call me Rangiku, okay?" she replied sweetly, eyes brimming with genuine kindness.

I nodded happily as all three of us started to shunpo over to the Barracks. On the inside I was wondering why Rangiku was being so kind to me. I mean, it's in her nature and all that, but surely she must have heard about the Ryoka in disguise? Word got around fast in the Seireitei since Aizen was partly leaking out information on Ichigo's whereabouts. That much I knew for sure since it was revealed in the manga. So surely she must know who I am by now.

But...Lieutenants were often left in the dark about certain things so maybe the information was withheld from her. That or maybe she just didn't care. I didn't see any signs of hostility coming from her so maybe that was it. Or it could have been the fact that I tried to save Momo from certain death even though I was one of the Ryoka. Either way, I was glad that she was opening up to me. That just made my job so much easier. I looked over my shoulder to see Toshiro close behind us. He was extremely worried for Momo's safety, as were we. The three of us didn't say anything to each other as we passed the other Divisions all the way to the 4th.

We got there in record time and found Unohana tending to the injured. Her eyes widened when she saw Momo, then looked at me strangely when she saw me holding her up. Of course, I didn't blame her for being suspicious and surprised. I was a Ryoka in disguise after all and I somehow managed to escape prison. Now that was cause for alarm, if not more.

Unohana told us to follow her and we were lead into a separate room. Rangiku and I gently laid Momo down onto the bed while an IV patch was placed on her. Then Unohana bandaged both Momo's hands since she was still bleeding. She said that Momo was under a lot of emotional distress and that some rest would most likely help her. She turned to leave, but I pulled her over to the side where Toshiro and Rangiku couldn't hear us.

"Captain Unohana, please be careful. There's something else going on in the Seireitei. Nothing is as it seems and not everyone is who they pretend to be. I'm sorry, but I can't say more on who is behind this at the moment. You probably wouldn't believe me if I did."

I bowed apologetically. She stiffened, then relaxed as she processed the information.

"Yes, I know that there is something afoot here in Seireitei. I have a sneaking suspicion on just _who_ it might be. Your warning only serves to strengthen that. But truth be told, it seems mighty suspicious of you to know for certain who is behind this entire mess. Tell me Ryoka, are you or are you not our enemy?"

Unohana's gaze met mine in an intense stare. We held each other's gaze for a long time. I did not back down as I sent her a silent message that said I was _not_ her enemy. She finally relented and sighed, breaking our little contest.

"I see, so you are not siding with the enemy. But then the question remains on how you know about who's behind this." I scowled at what she was implying. She still didn't trust me too well even after all that. Oh geez, come on. The very idea was absolutely preposterous. Me? Working for that bastard Aizen? No way! No way in hell!

But at the time, I didn't know of the events to occur later on sometime in the future. If I had, I would have questioned the validity of my thoughts. Of course, I would never do anything to intentionally harm the Soul Society, but with the way things unfolded, I had to ask myself if what I did was actually correct. If what I did could have somehow changed for the better if I had done something differently.

She immediately tried to lighten up on the questioning. Oops, I mean the interrogation, Unohana style of course, after she realized her mistake.

"You do not need to tell me _who_ is orchestrating these events, Jenny. But I _do_ have to inquire about _where_ you got this information from to be credible."

My scowl lessened as I thought about whether or not to tell her the truth. I sighed as I chose the latter. Might as well get it out of the way, right?

"Can we go somewhere private first?"

She nodded and we walked out of the room and stood in the hallway. I then proceeded to tell her about me being a seer and how I knew about them. Her expressions ranged from shock, to suspicion, then amazement, and finally to a grim tight-lipped frown as she debated what to say next.

"Hmm, I see. So you have these dreams of us that include our past, present, and futures. That is indeed a formidable ability. But a word of advice, little one..."

I perked up at the prospect of the great Retsu Unohana giving someone like me advice. Oh, I was so lucky! She was one of the wisest people in Bleach, besides a couple of others. So to have her saying something like this to me was a great honor indeed.

"Do not casually say this to everyone you meet. I understand that you want people to know that you are on their side, but...sometimes it may not work out that way. Some might get angry that you know about their pasts while some might not. It depends on who the person is that you're going to tell. Either way, it might bring more harm than good. And be careful to whom you say this to, little one. There are some people out there that will want to use this to their advantage and will stop at nothing to get it. Try to keep that in mind."

She had a grave face that said that this was not something to be taken lightly. I stood completely still, shocked, that she managed to figure out one of the things that I was most worried about since I got there. I nodded my head as I spoke sadly in response.

"I know Captain Unohana, I know. I've only said this to a couple of people so far because I trust them to keep this a secret. I trust them with my life even if they don't trust me with theirs. They will not tell anyone else unless I say otherwise. I have made all of them promise me and I truly believe they will keep their promises. So now that you know, will you promise to keep this a secret as well?"

"Yes little one, you have my word. Though it _is_ a bit far-fetched, I will take your word for it. After all, in these troubled times, it is not impossible to imagine your friend as an enemy and your enemy as a friend. I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I thank you for taking the time to tell me this and for your trust in me to guard this important secret. Take care, little one."

I bowed as she got ready to leave. "No, thank _you_...for everything, Captain Unohana."

She smiled and walked away to resume tending the injured. I took a deep breath and walked back into the room. Toshiro was leaning over Momo's body anxiously while Rangiku stood beside him. They looked up as I joined them in mourning over what happened to Momo. I knew Toshiro was the one suffering the most from this though. Suddenly, he spoke, his voice resounding across the room.

"Thank you, Rangiku. If you hadn't shown up when you did, Momo would have been dead by now. And thank you Ryo...no, Jenny, for trying to protect her and for helping me out."

He continued staring at Momo as we nodded. I noticed Rangiku rubbing her wrists from the strain of blocking Gin's sword and knew she was having flashbacks of him.

"Don't worry Toshiro, Momo will be just fine," I tried reassuring him. It did little good and me calling him by his first name didn't help matters. I forgot that he didn't let anyone, even Momo, call him that since he usually chastised them afterwards so I knew I messed up there. Yeah sure, it was okay to call him by his first name in my mind but in reality it was a different thing all together. He tensed and clenched his fists tightly. I knew it was because he was angry and when he didn't retort, I realized he was having flashbacks also, thinking things over to set them straight. He probably didn't have time to chastise me because he had others things to focus on. Suddenly he turned and looked straight into my eyes. I drew a breath and shuddered.

_God! His eyes are so beautiful, even when they're filled with pain and sadness. Gah! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts Jenny! I can't go Mary-Sue on them! Not now, not ever!_

I shook my head and silently reprimanded myself.

"Was this what you meant by that? What you tried to warn me about in the meeting? You Ryoka aren't the real enemies here, right?"

"Yes." I glanced away from him. The intensity of his gaze was too much to bear. His solemn voice didn't help either.

"We're definitely not the real enemies here. All we want is to save Rukia. With that being said, I know a lot about what's going on around here. That's why I tried to warn you about it. The problem was that I didn't think you would take it to heart what with me being a Ryoka and all. I can see that I was wrong and for that, I am truly sorry that I didn't just outright tell you all that I know."

"Wait, what? You knew what was going to happen? I get that you tried to warn me, but...how did you know? And you could have told me from the very beginning? Damn it!" he cursed, clenching his fist. He glared at me angrily, then looked away.

I knew what he was thinking though. He was probably cursing himself over the fact that he could have saved Momo if he had just took the time to ask me more. I let him wallow in his self-pity for a while. In the meantime, I debated whether or not to tell him the truth about how I knew. Thing was, after the talk with Unohana, I didn't think he'd take it too well.

He was one of the sensitive types when it came to his past. Maybe I could just tell him I knew the future? No need to get him angry or anything. That's the last thing I wanted to do. I cleared my throat and both Toshiro and Rangiku turned towards me. I proceeded to tell them about my being a seer. I told them that I knew the future and nothing else besides that.

They would probably learn later on that I was only telling half the truth and boy, would they be angry at me. Well, angry would be an understatement. Toshiro would probably try to maim me while Rangiku would probably be disappointed in me. Hopefully by that time we would be good friends, so I wouldn't have to worry about getting maimed by Toshiro. I would like to keep all my limbs and soul intact, thank you very much.

"Wha...? But that's not even possible! You can see the future? And through your dreams? Please, as if! I refuse to believe something as _ridiculous_ as that! Now tell me, how do you _really_ know? Come on, we don't have all day you know!" Toshiro burst out, clearly annoyed at being pranked by some little girl. Some little _Ryoka_ girl to be more specific.

I stared at him, slightly hurt by his outburst. I knew that he would probably doubt my story since he was a practical and down to earth guy, but...it still hurt. It really did. I turned my attention over to Rangiku to see how she was faring. Her eyes glistened with excitement as she rushed over to me. Before I could defend myself, she grabbed me and pressed me up against her chest. Her boobs squished my entire face as I struggled to breathe.

Rangiku went on babbling about how it was so exciting and awesome that I could see into the future. She asked me all kinds of questions about what she was going to wear that was in style later on in the future and how much sake she would have to drink to win a bet that she and Hisagi made the other day. While that was happening, I tried screaming at her to let go but all that came out was a muffled sound. Toshiro swiped a hand through his spiky hair and sighed.

"Rangiku please, let her go. You're going to kill her and I won't be there to help you clean up the mess." She looked up and stopped talking, casting her eyes downward to see that I was close to passing out. She immediately let go and gasped.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, Jenny! Oops! I guess I got carried away! Hehe!" I slowly got up as the dizziness went away. Well at least Rangiku bought the story. Now if only Toshiro would believe me, then we were all set.

"Gee, thanks Captain Hitsugaya. You could have helped me out a bit earlier, you know?" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. This time I was mindful of what I called him. He smirked just the tiniest bit, then turned serious.

"Now really, how do you know about what's going on? Who or what gave you that information?" I gazed at him and held it for a couple of minutes. He searched for something in my eyes to show that I was lying, then reared back in surprise when he found none.

"You...you're not kidding, are you? You really meant it, didn't you?"

I nodded back solemnly as he slumped over slightly. His face was pale and his breathing came out in uneven pants. He was trying his hardest to comprehend the idea. I knew it must have been hard for him since he was always so logical about things.

"Wow, that's..." was all he could say before a Hell Butterfly came in and landed on Rangiku's finger.

"To all Lieutenants and Captains, Rukia Kuchiki's execution will be held in 29 hours from now. I repeat, Rukia Kuchiki's execution will be held in 29 hours from right now. This decision is final and irrevocable. There will be no further changes in the date. That is all." she repeated as the Hell Butterfly flew away. Toshiro's eyes widened as he took in the information. Then he walked out the door quickly with us trailing close behind.

"Captain!" Rangiku cried.

Toshiro looked up and said that if Gin was behind this, then we had to stop the execution at all costs. Rangiku and I glanced at each other, then looked back to Toshiro and nodded. He placed a Kido barrier on the outside of the door so that nobody could get in. But I knew that it wouldn't do any good since Momo was an expert when it came to Kido. She could easily get out if she wanted to.

We shunpoed out the Barrack doors. I could tell that there was someone hiding in the shadows close to us. I guessed it was Izuru since he would fight Rangiku later, but I could have been wrong.

"And this is where I take off guys. I'm sorry I can't help you do whatever you're going to do, but I have other things to attend to. The best way to stop the execution is to get an appeal from the Central 46. I suggest going there first," I said as we jumped from rooftop to rooftop. They looked slightly surprised that I knew about Central 46, but chose not to comment on it.

"Okay, but then what about you? What will you do now?" Toshiro asked me.

"I'm going to try to stop the execution on site in case things get out of hand. You just focus on going to the Central 46, then we can talk, okay?" He nodded and I decided to add something else.

"Oh and Captain Hitsugaya, just be careful alright? Again, just watch out for Gin and for Momo. Momo's under a lot of stress so it makes her very easy prey for him. Also, as I said before, not all people are who they pretend to be..."

I regretted that I couldn't give him any more information. I decided that it was best to warn him. There are just some things in the world that are bound to happen, and Aizen's betrayal was one of them. There were too many important things to learn from it and I didn't want to change that. Maybe in the future with the Arrancars I would change things around, but for now, no I just couldn't. All I could do now was guide them and make sure things stayed on track, hoping for the best.

Toshiro nodded and thanked me for my help, knowing that there was no time for explanations. I went in the direction of the Sokyoku while Rangiku and Toshiro went in the direction of the Central 46.

_Good luck Toshiro! Please don't die!_

Now some of you are probably wondering why I didn't go with Toshiro. Call it instinct or whatever, but I knew that if I followed them, something bad would happen to me. Meaning me getting my ass kicked by Aizen and Gin. That's why I decided to go to the Sokyoku instead. While over there, I could help Ichigo in his fight with Byakuya. I could also ensure that I would be able to tell them of Aizen's escape plan. But that was a bit of a long shot.

_So then, to the Sokyoku! I sure do hope I make it there in time!_

* * *

I shunpoed as quickly as I could from rooftop to rooftop. I didn't want to be on the ground since there were still some Soul Reapers looking for us Ryoka down below. They were still waiting for us to show ourselves so that they could capture us.

_Heh! The fools! As if we'd be stupid enough to get caught here._

I scoffed as I scanned the area below me. I momentarily wondered how Orihime and the others were doing. Though I knew that they would be alright since Yachiru was leading them to the Sokyoku.

_Oh well, it's okay. I really wanted to meet them but I know that I'll be seeing them later on_.

I sighed, then rejoiced as I saw the Sokyoku up ahead. I was going to make it there in time! They hadn't released it yet! Maybe I could reason with them. Hmm, would they even listen to me though? Ha! Fat chance, but it was worth a try. My thoughts were interrupted when I saw a huge burst of reddish energy. It was like nothing I've ever seen or felt before. It was extraordinary! It didn't suffocate me like Yamamoto's spiritual pressure, but I could feel it's power surrounding me. It was completely amazing! That's when I realized what it meant.

_Shit, so much for that idea. They already released it. I've got to hurry!_

I cursed as I willed myself to shunpo faster. I didn't really know what I could do since I wasn't that experienced in sword fighting. But I had to do at least **_something_** to help them. I was literally flying when I got to the infamous Sokyoku Hill. The Captains were lined up and I saw Rukia on the stand. Then I saw the Sokyoku in it's released form. It was in the shape of a Phoenix and it blazed like fire. It was absolute raw power and I was blown back by the sheer force of it. This was so cool to see in person instead of on a TV screen! I opened my mouth to say something when I noticed the Sokyoku preparing to stab Rukia.

"Noooooooo! Stop the execution!" I screamed. Some of the Captains turned my way to see what the commotion was about. Some glared at me while a couple others were surprised to see me. A few just ignored me altogether. I glared as they turned their attention back to the Sokyoku.

I was scared for Rukia's safety. Even though I knew Ichigo would arrive to save Rukia in time, there was still some doubt in my mind. I didn't know how to explain it, but it was just there. What if my presence here really screwed things up? I mean, I was like an unexpected chemical in Bleach so it must have its repercussions, right? That would be one of my worst nightmares come true. I wanted to help and guide them, not make things worse.

Anything can happen in Bleach, that's what I learned from past experiences. So ultimately I guess doubt was reasonable in this stage of the game. But then again, if Rukia was killed there would be no story, so I guess everything was okay for now at least. Plus, I loved Rukia so much. She was so independent and strong. I wanted to be like her if I ever became a real Soul Reaper. She was a survivor and didn't let things set her back. So seeing your favorite female character in your favorite anime series about to be killed, it was pretty devastating to say the least.

It turned out that I didn't need to worry as Ichigo came and blocked the Sokyoku with Zangetsu. The Captains gasped in shock. In the distance, I saw Ichigo talking with Rukia. Even though I couldn't hear, I had a general idea of what they were saying from when I watched the anime.

"This can't be! He stopped the spear! But the Sokyoku has the power of a million zanpakuto! He couldn't have taken it on with a single zanpakuto, could he?" Soifon asked incredulously.

_Ha! Don't underestimate the Berry, Soifon. It just might be your greatest mistake._

I mentally did a happy dance. Rukia was saved and now the real drama was just beginning. But I had to admit that seeing all the Captains in shock was a pretty funny sight. An added bonus if you will.

"Nanao, do you think that this could be the one that the other Ryoka was talking about?" Kyoraku asked.

"Yes, his appearance certainly matches all the Captain's reports we've received." she replied back.

"I see, I guess it figures in the end that it was the Ryoka who saved the day."

He tipped his hat over his face and I smiled. I was a few feet away so I could hear all their conversations. I was grateful that Kyoraku and some of the others had enough common sense to question the execution, unlike the rest of them who wanted Rukia dead. The Sokyoku shrieked and prepared for its second attack. Just as Ichigo and the Sokyoku were about to clash again, a long rope came up and encircled the bird's neck. It came back to the ground with a loud thud as it embedded itself there. The Captains looked around and saw Ukitake, Kiyone, and Sentaro holding up a shield with the Shihoin clan symbol on it.

"Captain Ukitake! And Kiyone?" Isane cried in complete disbelief.

"Hey there, mister handsome. I was starting to wonder if you planned to show up." Kyoraku teased, shunpoing to the other side of the shield.

"Ah! Captain Kyoraku!" Isane cried again. Yamamoto turned around just a bit and I could tell he was genuinely surprised to see the two of them working together like this.

"It took a while to break the seal, but this should do it!" Ukitake yelled, plunging the shield into the ground.

"Stop them! They'll destroy the Sokyoku!" Soifon shouted. As she said that, the two activated the shield and the Sokyoku shattered into pieces. The pieces seemed like fireballs as they rushed towards the ground. Everyone tried to cover themselves, hell even I did! I was blown back quite a distance, but I managed to shunpo my way back to my original spot.

Ichigo did a back-flip, landing on the Sokyoku stand. I knew what was going to happen and braced myself. He swung his sword in the air by the string on Zangetsu and plunged it into the stand. There was a huge burst of blueish light as the ground below was blown straight through. An enormous crashing noise could be heard from a distance and dust debris was everywhere. I knew Ichigo was doing his little speech while holding Rukia and I mentally rolled my eyes.

_Nice Ichigo. Looking badass as always. Now can we please get on with the story already?_

I sighed as everyone beside me was completely shell-shocked at the display of power.

"Ah! How...did he do that?" Isane asked. I smirked and inwardly laughed as I saw their expressions. It was this huge group WTF moment. I really wished I had my camera to take a picture because it was priceless!

"The stand is destroyed!" Sentaro cried.

_Way to state the obvious, Sentaro._

"What...kind of man is he?" Omaeda asked and I sighed.

_Okay, okay, we get it. You're all surprised I know that, but can we please move on now?_

I looked up at Ichigo. He spotted me and smiled before turning his attention back to Rukia. I blushed at that. Now it was my turn to be shocked by him. Ichigo Kurosaki actually smiled, and at _me_ for that matter! Oh wow, that was totally unexpected!

_No! I'm going Mary-Sue on them again! Come on girl, get your mind out of the gutter!_

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. It would never happen anyway. Only in my dreams. I heard a noise behind me and looked back to see Renji taking out the guards that were in his way.

"It's about time, Renji!" Ichigo shouted. Rukia gasped in surprise and relief to see her best friend still breathing.

"Oh Renji, it's you! I'm so glad you're still alive!"

Renji smiled as they looked at each other. I couldn't help but smile even though IchiRuki was way cooler in my opinion. Sure RenRuki was okay, but I still preferred IchiRuki above all else for actual canon pairings in Bleach.

"I figured you'd show up." Ichigo said to Renji.

"Huh, well what choice did I have? I couldn't just rely on you to save Rukia, could I?"

Ichigo smiled, then raised Rukia up with his arm. They looked at him in slight curiosity. I, of course, knew _exactly_ what was going to happen next. Realization dawned on them as he swung his arm back, preparing to launch Rukia straight at Renji's stomach.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

Renji started freaking out. In the end, he came back to his senses and caught her like a football. I tried my hardest not to laugh, but couldn't help it as Rukia and Renji swore at him. As soon as I got over my laughing fit, Ichigo started talking again.

"Take her and go!"

"Wha...?" Renji responded dumbstruck.

"Don't just stand there! Get her to safety! Take her far away from here!"

"That's your duty. Protect her with your life!" Ichigo shouted. Renji nodded in understanding and hightailed it out of there. I could mentally hear Ichigo's theme song, 'Number One', playing in the background while that was happening.

"Ah, Renji?" Omaeda asked dumbfounded.

"Don't just stand there watching you fools! Go! All Lieutenants after them!" Soifon yelled. Yamamoto looked at Sasakibe, his Lieutenant, while Isane looked at Unohana. She nodded at Isane to say it was alright. I shunpoed in front of them as soon as the three started chasing Renji. I couldn't let them capture Rukia. Not again, and certainly not if I had anything to say about it.

I unsheathed the sword I had as Isane came at me. I brought up my sword to defend myself as we clashed against each other. I grunted from the strain as Sasakibe charged behind me. I kicked my right foot up, but hit air as he shunpoed away from it. He swung down and the tip of his blade just barely nicked me as I dodged it in time. Unfortunately, I was still recovering from the close call so I didn't see Omaeda rushing in on my blind spot. Before he could hit me, Ichigo shunpoed over and blocked his attack. I gasped as I turned around and realized how close I had come to being a goner.

"T-Thanks, Ichigo." I stuttered. He nodded as the three pulled out their zanpakutos. He plunged Zangetsu into the ground and closed his eyes.

"Urgh! Get outta the way!" Omaeda cried viciously. Ichigo opened them as they released their zanpakutos. He raised his fist and punched straight through Gegetsuburi into Omaeda's stomach. The other two stood bewildered as Ichigo sidestepped him and took out Sasakibe, then Isane. Byakuya came charging at Ichigo with his sword raised. Before I could warn Ichigo though, he grabbed Zangetsu and met Byakuya's attack head on.

"I can see your every move, Byakuya Kuchiki," he all but smirked with that badass look plastered on his face. I inwardly smirked also. It was going to be interesting seeing this for real. And with that, the 'Number One' song I was mentally singing ended. I could just imagine a 'To Be Continued' sign in front of the two. Now then, let the real battles begin!

* * *

_Wow! That was freaking awesome! Go Ichigo and his badass awesomeness! This is the rewritten chapter and I hope you all liked it! I worked really hard so please let me know what you think of my story so far. Thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter! I love you girl! And thank you to all those who supported my story and to all those who reviewed! You guys rock!_

_Please, please review! Thanks guys! Until next time!XD_


	10. Ichigo vs Byakuya part 1

**Chapter 9-Ichigo vs Byakuya part 1**

I stepped back since I knew it would be getting dangerous. After I was at a safe distance away, I turned my attention back to the two fighting.

"Tell me why...why don't you just give up? You keep trying to save Rukia again and again," Byakuya asked, clearly confused as to why Ichigo was going through all this trouble just for his sister-in-law.

"Huh! You're her brother, aren't you? So the question that needs to be asked is why the hell aren't you trying to save her?" Ichigo retorted.

"Such a foolish question. Even if I did have the time to explain the principle to you, someone like you would never understand it."

"Aw, don't be like that Byakuya. You're just conflicted, that's all," I teased as they both turned their heads towards me.

_Oh shit! Did I just say that? Damn it! What do I do now? They're staring at me! Oh geez, way to go, Jen! Now they want an explanation! Should I tell Ichigo about why Byakuya's doing this? But then Byakuya will probably want to murder me for knowing so much about his past! I just know I'll make him angry. God damn it! And I have to remember about Unohana's warning. I can't forget about that! He's definitely someone who won't take this well. But...I need him to talk to him about Hisana so that maybe I can help him chose to save Rukia instead. Well, here goes nothing. I hope this works otherwise I'm dead meat!_

"Ichigo, the reason why he isn't trying to save Rukia is because he made a promise to his late parents to not break the law again since he did that once before. But...he also made another promise to his late wife Hisana to protect Rukia no matter what. Now he's killing himself inside, trying to decide which promise to uphold. Isn't that right, Byakuya?" I asked him. I looked from him to Ichigo, then back to him again. His eyes widened slightly as I mentioned Hisana. The he started glaring at me. I flinched as I was now the focus of his not-so-welcoming attention.

"You there, girl! How dare you speak of such things! You know nothing of the burdens of a noble nor do you know anything about me, so do not imply such ridiculous nonsense. You are but a Ryoka and nothing more. Though I do have to inquire as to how you know of Hisana."

"Oh Byakuya," I sighed, then continued.

"Even though you might think I'm 'just a Ryoka', you're sadly mistaken because 'this Ryoka' knows more about you than you probably know about yourself. As for Hisana, I can't tell you right now, but I'll tell you how I know about her later on when everything's over. You'll just have to wait on that one..."

He continued glaring, but I ignored it. I knew for a fact that he didn't like being turned down, especially since he was used to getting his way. Call it the perks of being a noble. Ugh!

"And you're right, I don't know the burdens of a noble. But I _do_ know that just because you are a noble, that doesn't mean you're emotionless. You have feelings too. That's why you married Hisana even though it meant breaking the law. And _that's_ why you feel like you can't decide on what to do. You're choosing between what people expect you to do and what _you_ personally want to do."

"Silence! That's enough!" he snarled at me.

_Well, I sure pissed him off this time. Tch! What a pain!_

I ignored the death glares I was getting and started to talk again.

"You know I'm right, Byakuya. That's why you're getting so defensive. But the question is, which path will you choose?" I stared compassionately at him as he still continued glaring at me, all the while never retracting his sword from Ichigo's. Ichigo just looked back and forth between us the whole time, thankfully staying out of the conversation.

"Hmph! It seems talking serves no purpose. Prepare to die!"

Byakuya poured his spiritual pressure into his sword. Ichigo grunted and I felt Byakuya's pressure on top of me. It was like a set of weights, and boy was it heavy. I tried hard to stand up without falling down. Ichigo smiled and parried Byakuya's sword as a huge explosion sounded. All of us were pushed back.

"Heh! I'm your opponent here Byakuya, not her, so you might wanna focus your attention on me otherwise you might just end up regretting it!" Ichigo cried arrogantly.

"Such impudence, boy. Very well, you are my opponent for the time being. But do not think I will forget about you, girl. When I am done with him, you will be next, and I will find out how you know of me. Once that is done, I will eliminate that source and everything will be how it should be in the end."

"Heh, don't underestimate Ichigo. He's a lot stronger than he was before," I smirked. Byakuya glanced at me angrily, then focused his attention back to Ichigo.

"There is only one path before me. I shall kill you, Ichigo Kurosaki, and then once again I will capture Rukia. And this time, I shall execute her...myself."

"I won't let you you do that!" Ichigo growled as he took off the mantle he was wearing and threw it in the air. It was the one with the Shihoin clan symbol on it. I caught it as it came fluttering down towards me and set it aside. I shrugged as I wondered what to do with it.

_Eh, I'll give it back to Yoruichi later._

"That's the whole reason why I'm here," Ichigo continued. Then the two started to shunpo at each other multiple times while I just watched.

I realized that I wasn't that far away from the others who were still near the Sokyoku. I knew that they were going to be off on their own battles pretty soon. Because of this, I decided to shunpo over there and watch them for the time being. Ichigo and Byakuya were so engrossed in their battle that they didn't even notice me leave. Or...maybe they just didn't care at all. Oh well. [shrugs]

* * *

"Isane!" Kiyone shouted and ran to her fallen older sister on the ground.

"Wait Kiyone, don't!"

Sentaro ran after her. He stopped when he felt a presence behind him and suddenly went flying in the air. By that point, I knew that Soifon was making her move and that Kiyone was in serious danger.

"Kiyone, look out!" I cried as she turned around. She saw Sentaro falling back towards the ground with a thud. Suddenly, Soifon was right in front of her.

"Hold it, Soifon!" Ukitake shouted as he ran to Kiyone's aid. He was stopped by Yamamoto's cane and everyone looked up in shock.

"No one moves!"

"Head Captain Yamamoto," Ukitake breathed. Yup, the Old Man was pissed.

"This crime, a Lieutenant freeing a convicted criminal and aiding in her escape, will be solved by capturing the treasonous officer and putting him to death. Thus, his fate is sealed. But that is the least of our problems. What you two captains have done here today is of far greater magnitude. Surely you both understand that your actions are unforgivable!"

I heard just about enough from the Old Man and decided to speak up.

"You know nothing, Head Captain! You don't even know what's really going on! They're not the real enemies here, someone else is!" I immediately covered my mouth at the outburst.

_Oh God! What have I done?_

They stared at me in absolute shock. Oh boy, I was going to get it now.

"Silence, Ryoka! I have had enough experience as Head Captain of the 13 Court Guards Squads to tell the difference between who my real enemies are! And I assure you that once I am done reprimanding these two, you and your friends will never see daylight again!" He opened his eyes to glare at me and I shrank back in fear. I gulped audibly as sweat ran down my forehead. Yeah, he was seriously pissed off now. I only managed to add fuel to the fire. Just great!

"But what do you mean by 'some else is'?" he questioned me gruffly. I got over my fear and answered him truthfully.

"It's exactly what I mean, Head Captain. Someone else is the real enemy here. I would tell you, but seeing your reaction to my outburst, you wouldn't even begin to believe me," I retorted. He 'hmphed' at me, mumbling something about how Ryokas were all so impudent. Then he turned his attention back to Ukitake and Kyoraku. I glanced back over in Ichigo and Byakuya's direction and noticed that they were still fighting.

_Good, I can stay here for a little while longer then._

"Ah, Captain Ukitake! You're in danger, Captain Ukitake!" Kiyone yelled as she ran back to him.

"Kiyone, stay back!"

She stopped midstep, surprised at her Captain's response. He shook his head and she immediately understood. This was not something she could interfere with. She would just get in the way. Out of nowhere, Kyoraku grabbed Ukitake by the shoulder.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to make a run for it, right Jushiro?" he chuckled and shunpoed away with Ukitake in tow.

_Ah, good old Kyoraku. Always looking out for others even though he is a pervert and a major womanizer._

I smiled, shaking my head. Nanao followed suit as Yamamoto glanced in the direction where they shunpoed off to. He disappeared a second later, leaving me to deal with the others who were still by the Sokyoku. I could tell that Kiyone was really worried for Ukitake. But...this was no time to be slacking off. I was proven right when Soifon started growling.

"How dare you just stand there and do nothing while they get away!"

"Kiyone, watch out!" I screamed, but it was too late. Soifon kicked her painfully in the face. She landed with a thud on the floor as Soifon placed her foot on top of her chest. She put her weight into it and Kiyone cried out in pain.

"Traitorous _scum_ with your _filthy_ treason! You and your _bastard_ Captain and all the others have brought shame on the 13 Court Guard Squads!" she hissed venomously, her foot grinding into Kiyone even harder. I growled at that. I had just about enough of Soifon and her bitchy ninja ways! Who the hell did she think she was? I shunpoed over to them, fully intent on helping Kiyone and giving Soifon a taste of her own medicine.

"But rest assured, I'm going to put you out of your misery. You will never betray anyone ever again, once you're _dead_!"

She stomped harder still and I _knew_ Kiyone wasn't going to make it if that went on. I unsheathed the zanpakuto I had. I honestly didn't know what I was going to do. But...I didn't want to just sit back and watch Soifon kill her. Of course I knew that Yoruichi was coming later, but better to be safe than sorry.

I raised my sword to attack Soifon. She noticed and instantly went into a defensive stance, taking her foot off of Kiyone. She coughed and gasped for breath, then fell back, unconscious from the strain. My sword clashed with Soifon's as I kicked my right foot out. She immediately caught it and used my temporary loss of balance to toss me to the ground. I went flying through the air and hit the gravel hard.

"Gah!" I hacked out blood. My vision became hazy and Soifon smirked to herself.

"Well, I guess that I'll just have to kill you first then, since you're so eager to die."

"Go to hell, you bitch!"

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and before I could even comprehend what was going on, she shunpoed over to me and grabbed my throat. Then she stomped her foot-the same foot she had on Kiyone-into my stomach. This held me in place so I wouldn't be able to escape. I grunted as she squeezed my throat harder, blocking the air from getting to my windpipe. My hands furiously clawed at her arms, trying to make her let go. I resorted to kicking, but she just smirked again and held on even tighter.

That little bitch! She was enjoying this! Talk about being sadistic! I knew that she was reveling in the sounds that I was making. The sounds of someone close to death, well more like choking to death actually. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, I remembered the one person that could help me now.

"Y-Yoruichi," I stuttered weakly. She immediately froze at the mere mention of it. But that was all I needed. I took in a deep breath of much needed air and kicked her in the stomach. Soifon stumbled back in surprise. I picked up my sword that had fallen from my grasp and rolled out of the way of a well aimed punch. She was part of the Stealth Force so her reactions and recovery time were well beyond exceptional. I got into a defensive stance because I knew that I wouldn't be able to go on the offensive. She was much too aggressive to let me get an edge on her. Yup, I did a great job in pissing the bumble bee off and now she's ready to sting the life out of me. Just great.

I adjusted the sword in my hand as Soifon started shunpoing towards me. I manged to block her hands but her legs swept me off my feet and I lost my balance once again. I landed on my back with a grunt as Soifon smirked and looked down at me.

"Payback, you little brat. And I'll make sure that your death is nice and slow. Then you'll think twice before challenging someone of my caliber, you little weakling." In her hands was her sword. My eyes widened as I started to get up and grab mine. Soifon pushed me back down and pinned me with her body weight.

"Nu uh, you're not going anywhere, Ryoka scum," she whispered venomously and placed her sword at my neck. I gulped as I saw the crazy glint in her eyes. Then I noticed a spiritual pressure heading our way. Soifon either didn't notice or didn't care because she was so focused on me. I smirked and I knew that made her blood boil. Her face reddened with anger.

"Don't you dare mock me! Now die!"

I flinched as I saw her swing down but sighed in relief as a shadowy figure swooped in and flitted Soifon away, leaving only dust debris behind. I immediately knew who saved me.

_Thanks and good luck Yoruichi!_ _Just in time too!_

I went over to my sword and sheathed it. Then I walked back over to Kiyone and knelt down beside her, checking her pulse to make sure she was still alive. She was, but just barely. I needed to get her to the infirmary, and fast! Something similar to a whale's call broke my musings as I looked up. I smiled as I saw Unohana flying towards us on Minazuki. They landed with ease and she immediately took action. She didn't even question what happened, there was just no time.

I helped her load the injured into Minazuki's mouth. She had special healing powers so I knew that they would be alright. Unohana thanked me and I nodded at her. We both smiled grimly as she left the Sokyoku. Since there was only Ichigo and Byakuya left in the area, I shunpoed back to them. Hopefully, I didn't miss much.

_Well, now that's out of the way, I can get back to helping Ichigo. Good luck to the rest of you out there though! Be safe!  
_

I sighed, wishing Toshiro the best of luck. His fight in the 46 Chambers was about to begin and the truth was about to be revealed. Yup, there would be hell to pay once Toshiro learned the truth. And unfortunately, Aizen was at the center of it. Well, not that I cared about Aizen anyway. He could go to hell any time, any day. That's how much I hated him.

* * *

As soon as I got there, a huge explosion sounded and blueish light ripped into the sky. I noticed that Ichigo still wasn't in Bankai form yet, nor was Byakuya. That meant that it was just about time for things to really kick off between the two.

They noticed me approaching, but kept their focus on the fight after quick glances in my direction. I could see and hear the clashing of both their swords against each other. I could also feel their spiritual pressures on me, forcing me down a bit. To ease the pressure, I conjured up some of my own spiritual energy to cancel it. To my surprise, it actually worked. They clashed once more before they were blown away. Then Byakuya started to talk, directing his next statement towards Ichigo.

"I see you have mastered the flash step, but don't think it will change anything. Because it won't."

"What's with all this casual analysis of my powers? You said talk was useless, but now here you are taking it easy on me. I thought you were gonna kill me. Heh, didn't you say you intended to cut me down?" Ichigo teased him as he placed Zangetsu on his shoulder and his hand on his hip. Byakuya stayed silent.

"You haven't even put a scratch on me yet, Byakuya. Does your silence mean that this is all you've got? Heh, I don't believe it. Show me your Bankai, Byakuya." Silence ensued as Byakuya continued to glare at him.

"Come on, I heard what you said. You told me you were gonna kill me first, then Jen over there. After that, you were gonna execute Rukia with your own hands," Ichigo said as he motioned towards me when he said my name.

_Wait, did he just call me Jen? Wow! He actually likes me! Awesome! _

I inwardly squealed to myself. But I knew it wasn't going to get anywhere since he probably saw me as a friend. Not to mention how shy Ichigo was when it came to girls. Not that I minded of course. I thought it cute of him whenever he blushed, like when he was with Yoruichi in the hot spring and when he first found out she was a girl instead of a cat. Haha.

_Gah! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Get a grip girl!_

I scolded myself, shaking my head while listening to the rest of the conversation.

"So I did," Byakuya finally answered back.

"I will not allow that! I'm gonna defeat you, Byakuya. I'm willing to risk everything and I'm gonna crush you until there's nothing left! You say I wouldn't understand. Well, you got that right. I can't even imagine what kind of monster would actually threaten to murder his own sister, no matter what the reason!"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed and I knew that Ichigo had hit a nerve. I had to admit that at times Byakuya could be a stuck-up emotionless prick, but like all of us, he had feelings too. Being called a monster, especially for Byakuya who was a noble and supposed to be a gentleman, if you will, was definitely uncalled for. No, the real monster around here was someone much different from Byakuya. That person was none other than our one and only Wannabe God with a superiority complex by the name of Sosuke Aizen. Anyway, I digress. Back to the story.

"But I promise you, you'll never say such a thing in front of Rukia again. Release your Bankai now, or I'll kill you where you stand, Byakuya!" Ichigo took Zangetsu off his shoulder, pointing it at Byakuya with determination.

"What an empty threat. All your boasting and bragging will not change my mind. And it will not change Rukia's fate, nor your own. You want my Bankai? Careful what you ask for fool! You will die, but it's a thousand years too soon for you to die by my Bankai," Byakuya brought Senbonzakura up to his face and closed his eyes.

"Scatter," His sword changed into many pink flower petals, but I knew that they were not just mere flowers. Each and every single one of them were blades in the shape of cherry blossoms. Leave it to Byakuya to look so badass in pink. Yes, I went there. I totally went there. The petals circled in the air and gathered into a spiral.

"Look out, Ichigo! Each of Senbonzakura's flower petals are actually tiny blades! They reflect off light to make them look like harmless flowers, but they're not! Be careful!" I yelled from my spot a couple yards away.

He nodded at me and when they were almost at him, he took Zangetsu and slashed it forward. A wave of spirit energy came out which I recognized as his ever famous technique, Getsuga Tensho. The attack blew the flowers away and flew straight past Byakuya. I could tell that he was surprised since his eyes were wide open. Ichigo continued pouring his spiritual pressure into it until an explosion sounded. A very huge, deep gash formed in the ground right next to where Byakuya was standing.

The dust cleared and one of Byakuya's glove fell off as his blood dripped onto it. I was surprised that Ichigo actually hit him. I totally forgot about that part in the anime since I knew most of the damage Byakuya took was from Ichigo in his Senkei thingy.

"What is that light I saw? Is this the true power of your zanpakuto, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Byakuya asked in that stoic voice he always seemed to have, but if one looked closely, you could hear the faint traces of shock in it.

"That's right. When I swing my sword, all of my spiritual pressure is absorbed by my zanpakuto. Then it gets released again in a super high-density beam. That gives it an incredibly amplified swing. That's Zangetsu's power. You know, the funny thing is, I never aimed it at anything before. Until just now, I wasn't really sure how to fire it," he explained. I tuned out when he started explaining since I already knew how it worked. I was just waiting for the real fun to begin when I heard that last part. I anime sweat-dropped.

_He never actually aimed it at anything before? Wow! Seriously Ichigo, get your head in the game!_

But like I was one to talk. I had no zanpakuto of my own so I really shouldn't have been judging him. At least I knew I could shunpo and do a couple Kido spells.

"Kisuke Urahara told me, 'I can only teach you the stances'. I finally know what he meant. He was telling me that there was only one who could teach me to use Zangetsu. And that...was Zangetsu himself!" Ichigo shouted and I knew he was having flashbacks to Urahara and Zangetsu's training sessions.

_Hmm, I got to give the Berry credit though. He __**has **__come a long way since the first time we met. And he's only going to continue to grow. This is just the beginning of a very long journey for him. But...it'll be worth it in the end._

"I'll say it once more. Byakuya Kuchiki, attack me with your Bankai now! I'm gonna destroy you completely this time!" He opened his eyes and plunged Zangetsu into the ground. I bit my lip in worry.

_Ichigo, don't get too cocky, please! Byakuya's right. Be careful of what you ask for. You might have Bankai right now, but Byakuya has experience. Plus, you have your Hollow to worry about, so don't get too full of yourself!_ _He still doesn't know about his Hollow side yet, so I have to be on guard. He's going to come out real soon, so I have to be there to help him through it. Yeah right, easier said than done._

"It seems that you won't take no for an answer. All right then, feast your eyes upon my Bankai," Byakuya said as he raised his sword up to his face, then dropped it. As it went towards the ground, it created ripples and then disappeared completely.

This was cool because I could actually see a Captain's Bankai in person instead of on a T.V. screen. I was bubbling with excitement and my fangirl side threatened to come out. Even though I would have loved to have acted on those feelings, I held back. I promised myself that if I ever went into Bleach, I wouldn't become a Mary-Sue. No, I hated them so much since they didn't know when to stop to think about their actions and the consequences that accompanied them. Swords appeared on both sides of us. It looked like a corridor of giant swords that was really dark inside. I stared in amazement while Ichigo was in surprise.

"Ban-kai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." The swords broke into billions of tiny petals at the command. This was enough to snap us out of our stupor.

_Damn! I better stand guard just in case some of them come at me. Though I know Byakuya wouldn't go that low. Still, better safe than sorry._

Ichigo dodged the barrage of flowers coming at him while grabbing Zangetsu off of the ground. The place he was just at exploded and rocks flew everywhere. He charged at Byakuya, but a wall of flowers gathered at his chest and shot straight towards Ichigo. Luckily, he dodged it in time by jumping into the air, releasing an attack of his own.

A wall of petals shielded Byakuya before it had a chance to injure him. Thus, the game of life and death continued for the two as I stood by watching. Then a surge of Senbonzakura's petals came at me. Needless to say, I started to panic a little. I raised my hands up in order to cast a Kido spell, but Byakuya noticed this and called off the onslaught. I sighed in relief, then realized what he did.

_Is it just me or did he actually try to save me?_

He saw my confusion while attacking Ichigo and explained it to me.

"That wasn't what it seemed, girl. I wasn't trying to help you. I was merely keeping my word. I promised my attention would be on that boy for the time being, then on you. Do not get the wrong idea."

He shot me a quick glance while I stood there motionlessly, absolutely dumbstruck. I must have been a funny sight to see at the time. My mouth was wide open and my eyes bulging. All in all, I looked like a fish out of water. After a few more seconds I snapped out of it and ridiculed myself.

_Of course he doesn't care about me. He's Byakuya Kuchiki for God's sake! No way would that ever happen! I'm just another Ryoka to him and he's pissed as hell at me for saying those things to him before. But why do I feel like there's something more to that? I wonder...could he really...?_

I looked up just in time to see Ichigo getting trapped on all sides and crashing into the ground below.

"Ichigo!" I ran towards him to help him up, but then thought the better of it. I couldn't interfere since it wasn't time yet. I would just have to wait. Ichigo panted and my eyes took in the damage. I shook my head and sighed. Then he got up and smirked.

"Che! I can win this battle without even using my Bankai."

"Hmph! You say that as if you already had Bankai," Byakuya replied.

"Why yes, I _do_ have one actually."

Ichigo smiled and placed Zangetsu out in front of him with both his hands on the hilt. He poured his spiritual energy into it and I braced myself for what was about to happen. I smirked as I shunpoed back so I was at a safe distance away.

_Prepared to be amazed. Don't let your guard down, Byakuya. It just might be the last thing you do._

* * *

_Hi everyone! This is the rewritten chapter and I hope you liked it! It's my goal to make this story even more enjoyable than the original since I found a lot of mistakes while editing this. If you liked my story, then please check out __**'We're Screwed If We Get Caught'**__ by the awesome __**toongeek14**__ and __**'Rabbit Heart'**__ by the amazing ____** Abby-Rosette**. These stories are absolutely wonderful, so please read them when you have the time. Thanks guys!XD_

_Also, a big thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter and all the other ones on here. You go girl! And as always, thank you to all those who reviewed and supported my story thus far. Rock on guys! Until next time! And please, please review! Love ya!^^  
_


	11. Ichigo vs Byakuya part 2

**Chapter 10-Ichigo vs Byakuya part 2**

As Ichigo smiled and prepared to go into his Bankai, I had enough common sense to shunpo away. I didn't want to get caught in the blast. That would be bad. I turned back just in time to see a huge burst of energy emit from Ichigo's body and into the sky, enough for the whole Soul Society to see. I sighed, slightly laughing and shook my head.

_Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo. You're always so flashy when it comes to battle sequences, you know that?_

Meanwhile, Byakuya stood there in shock. I knew that he was in complete disbelief at how Ichigo obtained Bankai in only 3 days whereas it would take others 1,000 years. And he was also probably wondering how Ichigo had that kind of spiritual pressure when he was only a human. Ichigo tensed and I knew he was having flashbacks of the time when he fought Byakuya in the Living World. When he was done thinking, he stopped the flow of energy which was still continuing and thrust his sword forward.

He placed one hand on Zangestu and the other on the arm that was holding it. Power rushed through him and little pieces of cloth ripped off. It was kind of like when Yoruichi went into Shunko mode, but not that extreme. Sorry fangirls, but you're out of luck. Maybe next time though. And to tell you the truth, I was a little disappointed too. Who wouldn't want to see a sexy, hot guy half-naked? Well, except for the boys of course. But it's totally acceptable if you're a fanboy too. No offense out there guys! Love you!

My hands rose in a ninja stance to defend myself from the oncoming dust debris and rocks that would surely follow Ichigo's Bankai release. I was also ready to try out more Kido spells if I had to.

"Ban-kai!"

More of his spiritual pressure came out, but this time it was focused on his sword. The ground cracked and another explosion was heard. The dust swirled around Ichigo and looked like a tornado that went all the way up towards the sky. I coughed as I breathed some of the contaminated air and covered my face with my all-too-ready hands. I could tell you right now, I probably didn't look too good.

_Note to self, find a hot spring and take a nice, long soak after this._

I tried to get most of the dust off my face, hair, and clothes. Since I was at a safe distance away, I was let off easy. Byakuya used Senbonzakura to shield himself. Lucky duck! No fair! The dust cleared and I could see Ichigo in all his Bankai glory.

"Wow! So cool!" I giggled. His new look screamed total awesomeness. I wanted to hug him right there, but that would've been weird coming from me. I could see Byakuya's WTF expression and I laughed. It was just so funny! I then focused my attention back to the fight.

"Tensa Zangetsu!" Ichigo finished as he looked at Byakuya.

"So then, that's it? That little weapon, that's your Bankai?" he asked in disbelief. Ichigo smirked as Byakuya continued to speak, growing angrier by the second. He stared at Ichigo's Bankai. Yup, boy was Byakuya pissed.

"It looks just like a regular zanpakuto. Now I can see, this is no different than the day of the execution. What it comes down to is the fact that you enjoy treading on those things we hold sacred. What you need...is to be taught a lesson. I plan on showing you what happens to immature brats who try to insult our honor!"

Byakuya angrily sent a wave of Senbonzakura's petals at Ichigo. I didn't want Byakuya to lose his focus. A lot of things go wrong when people become blinded by hatred in a battle.

"As I said, Byakuya, don't underestimate Ichigo's power. It might look like a regular zanpakuto, but it's not. I can assure you that much," I stated as he glanced at me for a brief moment.

That was all it took to give Ichigo an opening. He still would've gotten through, even if I didn't distract Byakuya with my talking. Not that it was what I was trying to do. I seriously meant to warn Byakuya not to let his guard down. Byakuya froze when he felt Ichigo's sword pointing at his throat with Ichigo just inches away. He audibly gasped.

"You wanna talk about pride? Your so-called honor demands that you kill Rukia. Takes a lot of honor to kill your own sister, doesn't it?" Ichigo growled, drawing his sword back.

"Well, if that's the kind of pride you're talking about, you can bet your ass I'm gonna mess with it!" Ichigo jumped back to put some distance between him and Byakuya. Then he angrily pointed Tensa Zangetsu at him.

"That's the reason I got this power, your stupid pride!"

"Tell me why, why did you take the point of your sword away from my throat?" Byakuya asked warily. Ichigo stood there in silence. It was probably to mock Byakuya's actions from before.

"Well? Answer me. Arrogance destroys the footholds of victory."

I thought it was so true since Aizen thinks he's all that but in truth, it was already decided that he was going to lose. Because of him being so cocky, he sealed his own fate. Too bad, so sad. That's what I say.

"That move of yours, is _not_ Bankai. There could never be a Bankai as small and fragile as that. And a lowly Ryoka could never obtain Bankai. It's inconceivable." My eyes narrowed in anger.

_He will never learn, now will he? No one should ever underestimate Ichigo, especially since he's the main character. Oh well, it's his choice, not mine. I tried to warn him, but if he doesn't want to believe me than that's fine. He'll learn the consequences of that very, very soon though._

"With this attack, you will regret not slitting my throat when you had the chance."

The flower petals on the ground began to glow and move in the air, preparing for another attack against Ichigo. He gripped his sword tighter in response.

"A miracle only happens once. Your luck has run out, _boy._"

A huge wave of petals came out from behind him and flew towards Ichigo. He dodged and continued dodging, making his way over to Byakuya. He shunpoed in front of him and tried to attack, but yet again it was stopped by a wall of flowers. This continued on for a couple minutes as I stood by watching intently. I took note of both their movements and facial expressions. I needed to be ready to get into Byakuya's Senkei so I could help Ichigo with his Hollow. And maybe, if worse came to worse, to help Byakuya. We can't have one of our main characters dying on us, now can we?

Ichigo did his famous 'circling Byakuya at high speed' thing and taunted him. The later looked completely bewildered at how Ichigo was moving so fast.

"Don't get too cocky, boy," Byakuya said as he moved his palms forward. Senbonzakura came at Ichigo from all sides. He barely managed to escape with minor scratches. I could tell Ichigo was wondering why it was able to keep up with him.

"Ichigo! When Byakuya controls Senbonzakura's petals with his palms, the attacks are twice as fast than before! Keep that in mind!" I yelled.

He nodded as Byakuya glanced at me, absolutely bewildered that I knew so much about his Bankai. I could see why he was so shocked. I was just a Ryoka so I shouldn't even know that information since it was classified. Well, it would be to any outsiders, but to those who fought Byakuya, they would know about it. Still, he didn't necessarily question me because he knew it would be useless. I wouldn't talk about it even if he asked. Now was definitely not the time.**  
**

"Byakuya, if I were you, I'd focus more on the fight and not on me," I pointed out as he immediately realized his mistake and went back to attacking Ichigo. I knew what was about to happen next as I watched Ichigo jump into the air.

_Here we go!_

I was giddy with excitement as Byakuya surrounded Ichigo with Senbonzakura and closed his palms. As it closed in, he used his super high speed to knock out all the blades in the air. It canceled each and every single one of them without a scratch on his body. Byakuya stared, completely astonished at what just transpired.

_That's Ichigo for you! So badass with his awesome Bankai!_

"I told you Byakuya, but you wouldn't listen," I sighed as Ichigo shunpoed behind him.

"A miracle only happens once, huh? So, what do ya call this?" He smirked, his sword resting on his shoulder. For the second time in that fight, Byakuya audibly gasped as Ichigo tried to run his sword through him. Byakuya caught it just in time, but not before it injured him. His blood splattered onto the floor. I felt sick to my stomach at that.

I was never a fan of blood. I get queasy at the sight of it like Tsunade from Naruto, but not enough that I would actually freeze up or faint. I seriously wished that this battle would be over soon so everyone would know what was really going on in the Seireitei. Also, both Ichigo and Byakuya were getting their blood spilled. I didn't want them to fight anymore. I loved them so much and seeing your favorite anime characters getting cut up is definitely not something you would want to see. I got over my misery when Byakuya started talking again.

"I see. By focusing all the fighting power of the Bankai in that small blade, that Bankai gives you incredible power. Its size compared with its incredible intensity allow you to fight at unimaginable speeds. Even _I_ have to admit that the true power of your Bankai is impressive," he gripped Ichigo's sword tighter as if challenging him and saying he wasn't backing down.

"Very well then. There's nothing left for me to do, but to completely crush that power!"

Byakuya unleashed all his spiritual pressure so that the entire Soul Society could feel it. He was serious this time, there was no doubt about it. I put up more of my own spiritual power in defense to try and level it out. It helped, but only a little. Byakuya's spirit force was much more than mine so it was all I could do to keep from falling to the ground. At least I learned to control it better so I could move easier. Thank God for that! Then I sensed people coming towards us. They gathered near the trees right by the stairs leading up to the Hill.

_It's Orihime and the others._

Ichigo must have sensed them too because he tensed for a split second before relaxing. I knew that he knew they would be alright and that he couldn't focus on them right now. He had a battle to win. I didn't have time to deal with them either. If they were here, then that would mean that Byakuya would be releasing his Senkei. And that obviously meant Hichigo would arrive. My top priority at the moment was to get into the Senkei first, then help Ichigo with his Hollow. I couldn't help him if I wasn't there. Byakuya withdrew his hand from Ichigo's sword and both of them backed away.

"Watch carefully, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya said just as the blood that was on the ground glowed and turned into pink flames.

_Oh wow, I didn't know he could do that! I never really paid attention to it, but that's just awesome!_

Then I realized that the pink flames were the starting process of his Senkei. I immediately shunpoed over to Ichigo's side as the flames circled us, trapping us in a wall of flame. The flames shot upward towards the sky in a circular spiral-like motion. Once everything was complete, I shunpoed back to the sidelines. We both stared in awe at the sudden change in surroundings.

"What you see is what happens when I abandon all defense. And risk everything to kill my enemies. This is the true form of Senbonzakura," Byakuya stated as pink swords appeared all around us.

"Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The swords started to move both clockwise and counterclockwise. I was shocked that I could actually see this in person. It was just so cool! There are no words I can put down to describe what I saw and felt during that whole speech.

"Don't worry though. This is just your funeral procession. The thousand swords around you will not attack you all at once. So relax. This Senkei is the form I show to only those special few enemies..." he trailed off as his hand started to glow pink energy and one of the swords on the sides flew to it.

"Who are truly deserving of my vow to kill them with my own hands. You two are only the second to ever see it."

_Wow! I'm one of the only ones who get to see this! Awesome! But I really shouldn't be happy about this because that means that I pissed him off enough that he really wants me to die. And that totally contradicts what I thought before on how he might actually care for me. Urgh! I don't know what to think anymore! Byakuya's way of saying how he feels about people totally sucks! I don't know whether or not he hates or likes me. Either way, I'm pretty much screwed in here if Ichigo doesn't win. I have to do all I can in order to help him win._

"I'm truly flattered," Ichigo replied sarcastically. Byakuya pointed the blade upwards and more pink flames surrounded him as his spiritual pressure skyrocketed. Ichigo did the same with his own and he readied himself to meet Byakuya head on. I could their determination as the rocks on the ground cracked underneath them.

"Here I come, Ichigo Kurosaki."

_Here we go again_.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as I continued to watch. I was glad that I wasn't the one fighting Byakuya. It's not because I'm lazy or anything. It's just really scary seeing that death glare of his. Just thinking about it still gives me shivers. I muttered a Kido spell to shield myself from the oncoming blast. I already knew I was in danger just by being there.

"Bakudo #81, Severing Void!"

Their swords clashed and a huge wave of energy washed across the entire area. Luckily, the spell protected me otherwise I would've been toast. Yikes! I could just imagine the scene outside where Orihime and the others were at. They were probably surprised by the sudden outburst and I could totally imagine Yachiru falling off the tree she was sitting on. I laughed at that part. But I also knew how much pain Orihime was in since she really cared about Ichigo. I wished that I could comfort her, but I just couldn't.

Now some of the times I hated her, but at times I also liked her too. I could actually relate to her on our feelings for the ones we love. But I just couldn't get over the fact that she was so weak when it came to fighting. At least stand up for yourself girl! Fight back against the Arrancars for goodness sake! Byakuya and Ichigo kept on attacking each other. They shunpoed again and again and I got dizzy trying to keep up. Byakuya went behind Ichigo when he let his guard down. Luckily, Ichigo managed to dodge just in time from an otherwise lethal blow.

"What's the matter? You seem to be moving much slower than when we first started, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya smirked slightly with a smug tone.

"Is that a fact? I can still block your sword. When you move, it's almost like it's still stationary," Ichigo retorted as Byakuya looked over to me and I was startled at the sudden movement.

_What? Is something wrong? Why the hell is he looking at me like that?  
_

Then one of the swords behind me started to glow. I realized what Byakuya was trying to do and instantly hit the ground. The sword narrowly missed my head and went nimbly into his hand.

_Yikes! That was close! So then now what? Why did he suddenly look at me like that? Was he trying to warn me in advance to help me dodge that? Yet again, the great Byakuya Kuchiki manages to confuse me with his actions!_

I was seriously pissed off at him. But the main thing was that I was still alive. My expression softened a little but hardened just as quickly when Byakuya plunged the sword right into Ichigo's foot.

"Ichigo!" I cried as he grunted from the pain. I winced as that happened. Byakuya then uttered a Kido spell at him.

"Shit! Ichigo, get away from him! Now!" I yelled out, but it was too late. It always seems that way for some reason. [sigh]

"Hado 4, Byakurai," Byakuya pointed his index finger at Ichigo's chest and a stream of blueish energy went straight through it.

"Ichigo!" I screamed as he looked on in disbelief. I put my hand on the zanpakuto I was carrying, trembling as I did so.

_Damn it! Why? Why can't I do anything to help him? I really want to, but I just can't. All I can do is about two Kido spells so far and shunpo. It's definitely not enough to fight on par with Byakuya! Why do I have to be so weak?_

I cursed at my complete helplessness. What would I be able to do in this fight anyway? I would probably just get killed and I couldn't let that happen. I needed to help the Soul Society with Aizen and the Arrancars later. Ichigo coughed and stepped back weakly.

"It's over for you, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya stated, obviously certain that he would win the match.

"What did you say?" Ichigo grounded out, but then froze as his hands started shaking.

_Uh oh! Hichigo's here. I've got to be ready for this._

"I gather you think my movements became faster after using my Senkei. That's not true. All that technique does is compress my numerous sword fragments into one blade, in order to explosively increase its killing capabilities. I haven't gotten faster," Byakuya said as the sword in his hand dissolved back into flower petals.

"So then, are you saying that what has actually changed here is that I've gotten slower?" Ichigo asked.

"There's nothing for you to be ashamed of. You have defeated many high-leveled Soul Reapers. You have gone far beyond what anyone thought you were capable of. You even survived slashes from the Senbonzakura, but you can feel it now, can't you? Your body is dying. You're only a human. Though your spirit has not been broken, there is a limit to what you can endure. You have reached that limit."

Another one of Senbonzakura's swords appeared in Byakuya's hand. He raised his sword as Ichigo looked up in surprise. I knew what was going to happen next. And it was_ not_ good.

"This is the end, Ichigo Kurosaki."

* * *

"Che!" Ichigo spat as he grabbed Byakuya's sword in one hand. But of course, I knew that it was no longer Ichigo. His hollow mask started forming as he glared at Byakuya.

"I thought I told you already, it's a big problem for me if you get yourself killed!" he yelled, obviously referring to Ichigo.

"That's impossible! Who or what are you?" Byakuya asked him incredulously. Hichigo laughed at this and spoke.

"You wanna know who I am? I have...no name!"

He looked up and I instantly froze. I swear that if looks could kill, Byakuya and I would have been dead 1,000 times over. The obvious blood lust in his eyes shone brightly and turned my blood cold. I shook in fear at the thought that he could kill me and wouldn't care less. I was one of Ichigo's friends and Byakuya said that he would keep his word not to hurt me until he won his fight with Ichigo. But Hichigo on the other hand...he made no such promise and the very idea was eating away at me on the inside. His presence in the room took on a whole different meaning and it was suffocating me. I shuddered because it was that dark and ominous. I was snapped back to reality as Hichigo grabbed Tensa Zangetsu and brought it up to slice Byakuya's body. It cut him deep and he gasped in pain as Hichigo laughed insanely.

"Byakuya!" I yelled worryingly.

"Ichigo, what a complete amateur you are! Couldn't you tell? You've been getting crushed by your own Bankai's spiritual pressure. Every bone in your body is creaking from the strain. You really are a hopeless case!" he cried, taking Byakuya's sword and crushing it.

"So I'll show ya, how I use this Bankai!"

Hichigo laughed again as Byakuya looked on in surprise. While that was happening, I was getting ready to defend myself if he decided to attack me.

_Okay, maybe coming in here wasn't such a good idea after all. I mean, the whole purpose was to help Ichigo and now that I think about it, I can't even do that. I thought I could help him with Hichigo, but I realize now that it was my mistake. I took for granted my powers and strength and thought that I would be able to drive back Hichigo. Right now, looking at him, I don't think I can. He's just too scary and too strong, not to mention unpredictable. I never even gave the thought about actually dying trying to interfere a fair chance. I just thought that I would be able to help since everything turned out okay. God, I'm so stupid! All I can do now is try to watch and hope to God that Ichigo tries to fight off his Hollow in time before he kills Byakuya and then me._

As I was thinking this, one more sword appeared in Byakuya's hands. Hichigo reared back to let loose a Getsuga Tensho, in his own style of course.

"Byakuya, move!" I screamed and he took my warning and shunpoed on top of a nearby rock. Hichigo kept on attacking Byakuya, but I froze again as he started talking to me.

"Hey there, girlie. I would keep yer mouth shut if I were ya. Be happy that I'm not gonna kill ya...yet," he cackled, then shunpoed behind Byakuya and grabbed his shoulder. That was not good, not good at all. I heard Hichigo's warning but the words were already tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Byakuya! Shunpo, now!" Too late. Hichigo swung and a huge burst of black spiritual pressure knocked me to the ground, but not before giving me an annoyed and angry death glare.

"Kyaaaa!" I was blown several feet away. I forgot to put up another Kido shield because I was so busy thinking to myself.

_Damn it! I hate this! Why can't I do anything? I feel just like Sakura Haruno in Naruto, always sitting back and watching the fight as Naruto and Sasuke did all the dirty work._

I coughed as the dust cleared and noticed a couple bruises forming on my body. Byakuya's blood fell to the floor and part of his kenseikan, or the hair ornaments he always wore, broke.

"This twisted spiritual pressure...that white mask. Are you...a Hollow?"

I wished I could answer Byakuya, but if I said anything, Hichigo would kill me for sure. Well, I would still be dead either way if Hichigo won. But that's never going to happen...I think. Hichigo laughed yet again and I knew that it was almost over. I silently prayed for Ichigo's safety.

_Ichigo, hang in there! You can do it!_

"Haha, who cares? I don't have to tell you anything because as soon as I'm finished with you, I'll finish girlie over there. You're both gonna die!" he spat and I looked at him in shock.

_Wait, what? Wasn't Ichigo supposed to interfere right now and try to destroy his mask by himself? What's going on? Oh shit! This can't be happening! This can **not** be happening! I knew this was going to happen! I just knew it!  
_

I whimpered slightly. Ichigo was taking too long and now Hichigo had the freedom to do whatever he wanted. I had to try and talk to him. Maybe I could at least put some sense into him.

_Screw if Hichigo turns his attention to me. I would still die if I didn't, so it's worth a try. Okay, here goes nothing!_

I took in a deep breath and started to shout across the distance.

"Ichigo, can you hear me? Please answer me! Listen, don't let him take over! If you do, then all your friends will die and you will never be able to save Rukia! Are you listening to me? Rukia will be killed and all will be for nothing!" I stared at Hichigo and he scoffed at me.

"Che! I told ya, ya little brat, to mind yer own business! Prepare ta die!" He lunged forward with a shriek. I gulped and readied myself for his attack. This was all me now and I had to prove to myself that I could handle this, otherwise I would be dead.

He swung and I parried his attacks with much difficultly. Our swords clashed and clanged together while my hands were suffering from the onslaught. They were getting numb and it didn't help matters that they were getting sweaty too. I could feel my hold loosening on the sword as I kept on moving backwards to get away from him. I gasped as my back hit the wall of Byakuya's Senkai. Hichigo smirked and knocked the sword out of my hand with an upward thrust during my moment's hesitation.

I was utterly defenseless and he used the momentum of flinging my sword away to bring his hand down. His eyes gleamed with the excitement of being able to kill his prey as he swung down. I closed my eyes and whimpered softly. I really messed up big time and I wasn't afraid to admit it. I was a fool to think that I would be able to handle Hichigo all by myself and think that I could make a difference. In the end, I was just another useless little girl who could do nothing but watch from the sidelines while others protected her. A little girl whose arrogance lead to her own downfall. Haha, now that's ironic because it was supposed to be Aizen and not me who would die like that. I waited for the final blow to happen. It never came.

I opened my eyes to see Byakuya standing in front of me. He actually took the blow in my place!

"Byakuya...why'd you?" He coughed and ignored my question, glaring at Hichigo.

"Your fight is with me, whoever you are. I will not allow you to divert your attention to her. You attacked me first, so now it's my turn to return the favor."

"Tch, fine! But don't think I'm done with you yet, girlie!" Hichigo shouted as he removed his sword from Byakuya's side. They both eyed each other, then started fighting again. I slid to the floor, my knees weak and trembling.

_I-I can't believe it. Byakuya took the blow for me just like he did with Rukia. Why? Why the hell did he do that? And why isn't Ichigo coming out even with that whole speech I gave? Why? I don't want to be a burden to everyone! I don't want to...  
_

I sat there in shock, not moving a single muscle. I watched as Byakuya continued to fight Hichigo. He was losing...badly. I couldn't stand to see him like that. My eyes started to water, then I shook my head.

_No, I will not just sit around doing nothing as others get hurt. I want to fight! I have to fight! Otherwise the whole Soul Society will be doomed forever!_

I slowly stood up, determination filling my eyes.

"I'm going to fight! Hichigo, you better get ready! Nobody tries to attack me and the ones I love, and gets away with it!" I muttered angrily. I started shunpoing over to them with a plan already forming as I took out the zanpakuto I had. Their swords clashed and waves of spiritual energy washed over me. I gritted my teeth together and continued to shunpo forward, even though I was being pushed back by the force.

_Just a little farther! Please!_

I shunpoed one more time and landed right next to Hichigo. Byakuya saw this and his eyes widened. I shook my head up and down while glancing towards Hichigo. I managed to crack a small smile. He nodded as he understood what I meant. Hichigo turned, getting ready to attack me, but Byakuya locked his sword in place. Then I turned the sword over so that it looked like a sakabato, or reversed blade, with the sword tip pointing downwards. I yelled a battle cry and swung forward.

I gently plunged the sword into his mask and managed to put a small hole in it. I remembered what Shinji did to get Ichigo back to normal when Ichigo attacked Hiyori and twisted the blade a little so it cracked. That was all it took to weaken Hichigo and he instantly froze. I breathed out in relief as Byakuya looked at me in surprise. Judging by the look he had, I could tell he thought that I would try to kill Hichigo. But of course, that wasn't the case. He got my message to hold him down, but my purpose wasn't to injure Ichigo's body. It was to break his mask to weaken Hichigo so Ichigo could do the rest. In the end, it worked. I smiled to myself.

_Wow! What an experience! Glad that that's over with! But that was totally risky of me._

I shunpoed back to where I originally was, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire again. Ichigo's body glowed and I knew that it was almost over. Hichigo yelled some random words that were meant for Ichigo as he cried out and took off his mask. Black smoke could be seen coming out of it as Ichigo returned to normal. He huffed and I smirked.

"Glad to have you back again, Ichigo!" I called out, waving to him. He smiled, then apologized to us and thanked me for the help. Byakuya took note of what happened and decided not to pursue his curiosity.

"Very well. I will not ask you to explain what that _thing_ was. I don't think either of us has enough strength left to continue this fight for much longer. We'll finish this off with one final attack."

"All right," Ichigo agreed and Byakuya's Senkei swords disappeared. They all gathered into the sword he had at the moment and started to glow in a bright, blinding light. I quickly muttered the Bakudo spell I knew to shield myself. It appeared and I continued watching.

"Shukei, Hakuteiken!" Byakuya cried.

"Here it comes, Byakuya Kuchiki!"

Ichigo gathered all his energy into one final attack. They rushed at each other and I stood there wondering who would win. That last part with Hichigo didn't go the way it was supposed to. That in itself was cause for worry. I could only hope that Ichigo would win as I took a deep breath. I watched anxiously as the two clashed at each other for one final time.

_Ichigo, please win! I don't know what else to do if you don't!_

* * *

_Yahs! This is the rewritten chapter everybody! Hope you enjoyed it! And if there are any mistakes in here, just PM me and I'll be happy to change them. Thank you to **SwirlzSmile** for beta-reading this chapter! I love you sooooooo much girl! You are totally awesome! And thank you to all those who supported my story and to all those who reviewed! Have a great day!XD_

_And please, please review! Thankies!^^_


	12. Truths Revealed

**Chapter 11-Truths Revealed**

Black and white streams of energy clashed at one another for one final time, deciding which person would be the victor. As the dust cleared, I anxiously awaited the outcome. If it just so happened that Ichigo lost to Byakuya, then I had no idea what to do next. The whole script would be changed and I would be useless to the others.

The chance of that happening was 50/50 since Hichigo's appearance was longer than expected. That meant that yes indeed, my presence here affected the storyline somewhat. By how much, I didn't know. But if it did, then I, along with the entire Soul Society would be in trouble. It could have been that I was over thinking the whole situation, but it was better to be safe than sorry. It was also better to try and think ahead and plan things out.

_Ichigo, come on! You have to win, you just have to!_

I bit my bottom lip. It was a bad habit I had when I was nervous, along with biting my nails. Byakuya stood a few feet away from Ichigo. As I looked at Ichigo, I could see his expression of pain. He grunted and blood spurted out of his right shoulder.

_No! No, it can't be! Ichigo, you couldn't have lost, now could you?_

My eyes widened and I took a deep breath. Ichigo's eyes glazed over as he started to fall. At the last moment, he managed to stay standing by stabbing the ground with Tensa Zangetsu and leaned on it. I rushed over, trying to help him stand.

"Stay back, Jen!" he yelled when I was only a couple feet away. I stopped midstep, shocked at his words.

_What the hell is he thinking? He looks like he's going to black out!_

"I won't fall!"

His voice was so full of determination that I could only hesitantly nod. I looked over at Byakuya and gasped. Blood was pouring from his shoulder too. He stumbled a couple of steps then started limping away from us. He took huge, pained breaths as he did so. He looked at his shaking palm and that really confused me. Wasn't it Byakuya that won the fight? If so, then why wasn't he saying anything? Why was he just staring off into space like that? Then I noticed that he was thinking. With that, I realized that Ichigo had actually won the fight and not him.

_Yes! Thank you, God! Ichigo actually won! Thank you! Now I don't have to worry about not knowing what's going to happen next! Everything will go as planned! Sweet!_

I inwardly did another happy dance, then stopped and realized something. It was something that had been nagging me since the very beginning. I never really wanted to admit it, but...what if things didn't go the way they planned for the others? Then what? The only thing I could do now was pray, and hope to God that things would stay true to the original storyline. I focused back on Byakuya's hand and watched as the Senbonzakura petals flew away.

"You wanted to know just what path I would choose. Well...I chose the path of heeding my late parent's words. Criminals must be brought to justice. Once their punishment is decided, it must be carried out. That is the rule of the law."

"You would honor the law, even over the life of your own sister?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"That's why I told you that someone like yourself would never be able to understand the principle behind my actions. Sympathy towards a relative, what could be more pointless? Feelings and emotions have no value compared to the law. The Kuchiki clan is one of the four great noble families. We're duty bound to serve as examples for all Soul Reapers. How can we enforce our laws if we ourselves are not willing to obey them?"

Ichigo's eyes widened, taking in the information. The three of us stayed silent until Ichigo broke it.

"I'm sorry, I still can't understand. I swear, even if I was in your position, I would fight it! I would fight until I ended your stupid law!"

Byakuya's eyes widened in turn at the outburst. Then they softened and I knew that Byakuya knew who Ichigo's true enemy was. And that...was the law of the Soul Society. It was never about him in the first place. It was the _law_. He looked at me and I smiled back. I could see the corner of his lip twitch. He now knew that we were not enemies. He turned away and continued to speak.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, because of your free spirit and reckless abandon, you have broken my sword. You have my word. I will pursue Rukia no more. _You_ have won."

He shunpoed away and I sighed in relief. The battle between Ichigo and Byakuya was done. Ichigo had his little 'I won!' cheer and I chuckled. Suddenly, he started to fall. I was in midstep trying to catch him, then stopped. I remembered Orihime would show up and if I went in there right now, things would get ugly.

"Ichigo, look out!"

Both their heads collided with each other. I tried hard not to laugh, but I just couldn't help it. I dropped to the floor and held my stomach as Orihime started apologizing. He held his head in pain and glared.

"Oh shut up, Jen! That wasn't funny at all!"

Then he realized who he was with and gasped. That was totally acceptable since he hadn't seen the others in a long while. I watched the exchange between the group. They all started talking at once and I could tell that they were really excited. Orihime did her spaz dance and I had to stifle more laughs that threatened to come out. I didn't want to ruin the moment so I held it in. Then she sat on the ground beside Ichigo. She said she was glad that he was alright and that she was worried about him the whole time they were separated. A blush settled on her face.

_Oh, how sweet!_

Then the group turned towards me and asked who I was. I introduced myself with my real name instead of Ichigo Momosaki. There was no need for that since practically everyone knew my true name. Ichigo, in turn, introduced the others to me. He told them of how I helped him and I smiled at their reactions. Uryu was suspicious, but as soon as he saw the way Ichigo was acting around me, he relaxed a little. Chad and Orihime fully accepted me with open arms, saying that a friend of Ichigo's was a friend of theirs. I beamed widely, then turned serious.

"Listen, guys, I have to tell you something really, really important. The battle isn't over yet. Actually, it's only just the beginning. Orihime, I need you to heal Ichigo with your Soten Kisshun right away..."

I trailed off as Orihime, Chad, and Uryu looked surprised at how I knew about Orihime's abilities. Uryu stiffened and I could tell he was getting ready to interrogate me. Not in a good way either, mind you.

"Guys, it's alright. She's good. Don't worry, I'll explain how she knows about us later when we have the time. Right now, she has something she wants to say. And...oh wait, I can tell them, right?" Ichigo asked me while staring at the group.

I nodded my consent as Uryu calmed down. He glared at me, but otherwise said nothing. Apparently, he saw my urgency to tell them something important and didn't argue with Ichigo on this one. Though I was pretty sure he would probably confront me later about how I knew of Orihime's abilities. The thought that Ichigo probably told me about Orihime's abilities probably never even crossed his mind. The way he was acting proved my suspicion. But oh well. What can you do? [shrugs]

"Anyway, he's going to need it in a little bit. And Ichigo, you might want to get ready to fight again. There's still something you have to do." My eyes narrowed as I thought about Aizen true intentions. They saw my killer intent and I knew they were all wondering why I was getting ready to kill something. If I was correct, then Renji would be here any minute now carrying Rukia. Aizen and the other two traitors wouldn't be too far behind.

As if on cue, I felt a bunch of spiritual pressures over by what was left of the Sokyoku. I could tell that Renji was going to be in danger because Aizen was there. I didn't really want to fight the bastard, but I had to help Renji. I was sick and tired of just waiting around and watching. I wanted to fight and I needed to fight if I wanted the Soul Society to win.

Again, while looking back on this, I realized that it was real stupid of me. I mean, I had no training in sword fighting whatsoever and only basic knowledge in self-defense. What the hell was I thinking back then? I was just an ordinary human girl! What chance would I stand against the great Sousuke Aizen? The answer, my dear friends, was none at all. But...I foolishly believed that I could have taken him on long enough to stop him, if not for just a little while. Even I had to admit that I was naive and foolish for thinking that back then.

"Ichigo, stay here a bit. I'll be right back. Orihime, please continue to look after him, okay?"

"Ah, but where are you going?" Orihime asked worryingly, knowing I was about to get into something big.

"What's left of the Sokyoku, of course. I have something I need to do. Anyway, take care guys," I pointed over to where I was going and they nodded, albeit somewhat confused as to what I was going to do. I smiled and waved goodbye. Then I shunpoed off to where Renji was.

"Okay then, no turning back, Jen! You can do this!" I muttered under my breath as I came to a halt behind Renji with Rukia in his arms.

* * *

"What the...? This is the Sokyoku Hill! What the hell is going on?" Renji asked, then looked around to see me standing next to him.

"Jenny! What are you still doing here? What the hell happened?"

"Not now Renji. I'll tell you later. Right now, we have more important things to deal with." I turned to face Aizen. I glared and he smirked at me. Renji also turned to see what I was looking at and gasped. Then Aizen spoke to the both of us.

"Leave Rukia where she is Renji, and back away. You too, Ryoka girl." I swear a tick mark appeared on my forehead as I crouched into a defensive position.

"Wha...Captain Aizen. But how can this be? And what did you say?" Renji stuttered.

"How odd. I'm sure you must have heard me the first time. I said leave Rukia there, and I told you to back away along with the Ryoka girl, Renji."

My eyes narrowed at his indifference to the situation. What a jerk! Then the sky above us crackled like a stereo system and Isane's voice could be heard throughout the entire Seireitei. I knew that this was the message concerning Aizen's true nature and I could feel everyone's spiritual pressures wavering as they took in the information. I could never even begin to fathom just how hurt everyone was by this, now that they knew the truth.

Renji and Rukia gasped in surprise. I however stayed calm, never taking my gaze off Aizen as the message continued with all the horrific things he had done. After a little while, they got over their shock and Renji replied with defiance.

"No, I will not, Captain Aizen."

"What's that?" Aizen asked and I interrupted Renji before I could even think about my choice of words.

"You heard him, you lying bastard! He'll never hand Rukia over to a jerk like you!"

Said bastard/jerk arched his eyebrows. Then he slowly smiled as the light from the sun glanced off his glasses. It gave them an ominous glint and I shivered. Oh, I was so dead now! He looked at me with a dangerous glare and I automatically gulped.

_Oh shit! I am so totally screwed! I really shouldn't have said that!_

But even as I thought that, I couldn't help but feel better. I wanted to say that from the very beginning but never got the chance to because of the other Captains that were with him.

"Hmm, I never thought that the Ryoka girl was so disrespectful to her elders."

I stood there in anticipation, wondering what he was going to do next. Would he kill me for my disrespect? Or maybe not at all? I had no idea whatsoever. I was, by no means, an Aizen mind-reader. I don't think anyone can do that besides Gin, and even he's not that good at it either. Aizen's just too damn mysterious and enigmatic for anyone to understand. Not that I wanted to understand what was going on in that sick mind of his. Ugh!

"See, I told ya so, Captain Aizen," Gin chimed in, smiling all the while. I stiffened. Shit! Just what else had he told Aizen? Surely Izuru must have kept his promise to keep my being a seer a secret. He just had to! If Gin knew about it and told Aizen, then I would be totally screwed beyond all get out!

"Whadda ya gonna do with the girl now, Captain Aizen?" I immediately tensed as Gin started to take out his zanpakuto, ready to dispose of me if Aizen gave the word.

"That won't be necessary, Gin," Aizen looked at us as he started walking forward. He saw that we would never let him have Rukia without a fight. He continued smiling.

"You two are so stubborn. Since you won't let go of her and stand down as I ordered you, I have no choice. But I will take your feelings into consideration and I will let you have your way."

He took out Kyoka Suigetsu and I started to sweat. This was bad, like really bad. I needed to do something otherwise Renji and I were dead meat. I thought about what I could do and prepared my hands to utter a Kido spell. I hoped that it would at least stall him until the others got here. My first priority was to make sure Renji and Rukia were safe from Aizen's grasp, then I could worry about myself. I started to discretely conjure up some spiritual energy in my hands in hopes of firing a Kido spell at him behind my back.

"She can stay in your arms. The rest of you goes," he continued as the glowing ball in my hands grew bigger and brighter. I readied myself to shout the incantation and took a deep breath.

"Hado 31, Shakkaho, Red Flame Cannon!"

I brought my hands back to the front and fired it. Everybody's eyes widened as the ball of energy came hurtling towards him. He quickly regained his composure and swatted the Kido away like it was nothing with his bare hands. I stood there in complete shock. I guess I should have seen that one coming. Ugh! How stupid of me!

"Interesting, so you can use Kido and Shunpo like a regular Soul Reaper, huh? Very interesting indeed," he mused, looking over at Gin. Gin shrugged a little bit.

"Whoops! Sorry Captain Aizen, my bad. I forgot ta tell ya 'bout that part," he giggled while rubbing his head in an innocent kind of pose. Aizen turned away and looked at Renji. Renji took that as his cue to jump back to gain some distance from him, but he wasn't quick enough. Aizen managed to injure one of Renji's arms as blood dripped onto the ground.

"Renji, no!"

Then I felt Aizen's presence tower over me. My eyes widened. I tried to shunpo away, but...pain washed over my entire body as I grunted. Somehow, Aizen managed to slice my entire left shoulder that went all the way over to my chest. More blood started pouring as I slumped over and fell on both my knees in absolute disbelief.

_Wha...what the hell happened? I can't go down like this, not when I still have so much to do! I was going to try to help fight Aizen some more. I can't believe that this is all I can do!_

"Jenny!" Renji cried as he went to help me. Aizen blocked his path and smiled, looking down at me. I glared at him with absolute hatred. I started to pant heavily, taking in as much air as I possibly could.

"One down and now one to go. I can see your defensive skills have improved a great deal, Renji Abarai. I am happy to see that you've continued to progress, but I hope you won't struggle for too long. It's difficult for me to control my power. It's difficult to step on ants without crushing them. And as your former superior, I would prefer not to kill you if I don't have to."

Both of us glared at him. I knew I had a death wish with what I was going to say next, but I didn't care. Not at that point anyway. Yes, I wanted revenge that badly.

"You sick bastard! How dare you say something like that to him? He was one of the people who trusted and looked up to you!" I shouted, dizzily trying to stand up. He looked at me in astonishment and spoke.

"So you can still move? Amazing! I never would have thought that someone like yourself would be capable of such a feat. Anyway, you should mind your own business, Ryoka girl. I was nice enough not to kill you. Gin, do something about her so that she doesn't interrupt us again, but...don't kill her."

"Gladly, Captain Aizen."

Before I could even try to defend myself, Gin shunpoed over and kicked me in the stomach. I coughed up blood as I felt myself being launched into the air. Renji and Rukia gasped as I landed a couple yards away from where I originally was.

"Ugh!" I groaned out loud as my head collided with the floor and rolled over onto my side. Boy, that stung like a bitch!

"Ah! Jenny! Are you alright?" Renji shouted to me as I laid there.

"I'm..ugh..fine, Renji." I wheezed back as more blood came up. Now I knew how Ukitake felt when he had his attacks and it was painful!

"There. All done Captain Aizen. She won't be getting up for a while now," Gin said cheerfully. That jerk! Aizen looked over to me yet again to make sure I wasn't going to try anything else, then back to Gin as he nodded his approval.

"Good work, Gin. Now then, back to what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." Renji got over his shock and decided to speak up.

"Yeah right, you don't wanna kill me? Then what about Momo? You killed her in cold blood!"

I vaguely heard Renji continue on. I knew he said something else, but that was all I could really hear at the moment. I tried hard not to go unconscious. I could kind of hear Aizen's explanation on why he killed Momo. But of course I knew that she was still alive. Although, she was in real bad shape right now. Renji growled as he commented that this wasn't the Aizen he knew. Aizen retorted by saying that the Aizen he knew never existed in the first place and was nothing more than an illusion.

As my vision started to return and my headache went away, I could tell that Renji was going to attack Aizen in a fit of rage. One thing I knew from experience was that you should never let Aizen get to you, otherwise you were dead. Like the time in the Winter War where he fooled everyone into thinking that they were attacking him, but instead they were really attacking Momo. Toshiro went berserk and lost it and got cut down by Aizen in an instant. I still get really pissed off when I think about that scene. I looked up from where I was and saw Renji leap into the air.

"Wait, Renji! Don't!"

Apparently, I was worse off than I expected. The blow to the stomach I could handle, coming from someone who got hit by a car. On the other hand, the slice to the shoulder was a different story. To those of you who never got a sword sliced through you...count yourself lucky. The pain I felt from Aizen's wound that he gave me was absolute torture.

I never experienced something like that, ever. Not even when I got hit by that car. It was just unbearable and to any normal person, they would've cried by now. But I knew I had to be strong in front of the others. I was supposed to help them, not hinder them. That was the whole reason why I was here in the first place. I had to admit though, I was pretty ashamed of myself.

The fact of the matter was that I was scared shitless about getting cut up and dying. That's why I didn't enter the fights in the beginning. It wasn't because I was inexperienced at sword fighting, well maybe a little but it was mostly because I was scared. I know, selfish right? But wouldn't you be that way too at first? I mean, we, well in this case I, used to live in a time period where we didn't need weapons to defend ourselves. It's not like some random person comes up to you waving a sword around in the air saying they want to kill you.

That fear, along with the fact that I didn't know how to fight with a real sword, only served to increase my desire to just sit back and watch. I was a coward who liked to watch others do all the dirty work and get hurt. It was just like when I sat back at home watching the anime episodes online.

Yes, I said I was going to help them. But what would shouting out things do if I didn't partake in the action myself? Not until recently did I change my way of thinking. I was sick of doing nothing but shout and scream orders from the sidelines. Now I wanted more of the action. I became bolder in my actions like with Hichigo and Aizen and I felt like I had at least accomplished something.

I knew that going up against Aizen the way I was right now was futile. As I said before, the only reason why I did that was to stall him. But I hoped, if I ever lived through this, that I could become a real Soul Reaper. Then I could train to help assist the others in the upcoming Winter War against the Arrancars. I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Renji shouting.

"Roar Zabimaru!"

Yet again I tried to stand, but couldn't. Gin really did a number on me, that's for sure. I laid there and watched as Aizen blocked Zabimaru's attacks. Then I saw Aizen holding onto Zabimaru and knew that Renji was in serious danger this time.

"Renji, get away! Aizen, don't do it!"

I could only in horror as he sliced Renji's shoulder, just like he did with me. Blood flew everywhere and I couldn't help but feel sick. Not only did I not stall him long enough, I was absolutely useless to Renji since I couldn't even protect him. I gritted my teeth from the pain.

_Damn it! Ichigo, hurry your ass up already! You're the only hope we have now!_

"Renji!" Rukia cried in concern. She looked between me and Renji to see we were alright. But of course we weren't, otherwise we would be back on our feet trying to kill that damn bastard.

Aizen spoke about he was right in choosing the three of them, obviously referring to Renji, Momo, and Izuru. He told Renji about how he was the one who assigned him to Squad 5. How it was to use him and that he fit perfectly into his plans. I wanted to slap that son of a bitch in the face. How dare he make light of Renji and the others! How dare he! Who the hell does he think he is? If he thinks he's God, well then he's shiting himself. He will never be God so long as I'm here. Along with Ichigo and the others, we would stop him altogether. I swore to myself on that!

I wanted to scream and shout at him with my ever famous Anti-Wannabe-God Fangirl Rant. It was 10 whole minutes filled with constant swearing and voodoo magic on an Aizen plushie I had. But with the injuries I sustained, I thought the better of it. Besides, it was hard enough just to breathe as it was. Renji panted and gripped his sword tightly. He was extremely angry at Aizen. I would be too if I were him. Aizen asked Renji once more on the matter concerning Rukia. She spoke before Renji could and said that Renji would do it, that he would leave her behind.

"Shut up Rukia! You have no idea what you're saying!" Renji retorted, tightening his grip like she was his lifeline. I could understand why he was so vehemently insisting that he wouldn't give up Rukia. He finally got her back after he realized he was in love with her. This time, he wouldn't let her go. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"You thought I'd give her up after coming this far? Are you that dumb?"

"Then so be it."

_Renji, no! Ichigo please hurry up! I can't help him now! It's all up to you!_

My eyes widened as Aizen starting to swing his sword at Renji. Ichigo still wasn't here! I closed my eyes in fear of the worse and screamed out. "Ichigo, help us!"

Then I heard the sword colliding with something. I gasped and opened my eyes. Ichigo proudly stood there with his ever famous badass grin. Renji looked up in surprise. I smiled and let out a very huge sigh of relief.

"Took you long enough!" I smiled and he smirked.

"Well now, I couldn't just let you do all the fighting, now could I?" he looked at me with a serious face, taking in the damage at my failed attempt at a fight against Aizen.

"What you did was very reckless, even for someone like you, Jen," he sighed sadly and I didn't even have to look to know that he was pretty disappointed at me. I looked away in shame.

"I know that, Ichigo. I know."

"Anyway, what's the matter Renji? While you're crouching down, I almost think that Rukia is too heavy for you to hold or something. Good thing I came to give you a hand. You can thank Jenny for that. Right, friend?" He shook off Aizen's sword and the two of them backed away. I nodded and smiled at the part where Ichigo called me his friend.

_Oh wow! Score! Anyway, no time to be celebrating since we still have the Aizen factor in play._

I bit my bottom lip and looked at both sides warily. The fight with Aizen was still going on, but I had no idea if the others were alright. I had no clue if everyone finished their battles like they were supposed to. Or even if the outcome was the way it was supposed to be.

Even though everything seemed to be going as planned, it was still too soon to let my guard down. Because there was one thing I knew for sure in Bleach, and you'll hear me say it time and time again. Things aren't always as they seem, especially in a world like this, where at even turn something unexpected happens.

* * *

_Another rewritten chapter done! Yahs! This chapter is dedicated to my very good friend here on FF, __**AnimezDarkestHope**__ since it's her birthday today. Consider this a birthday present from me to you! You are totally awesome girl! Also, a big thank you to **Abby-Rosette**____ for supporting me on my story for such a long time now! Please check out her story __**'Never Meant to Exist: Eri's Story' **__if you have the time. It's super, super good and very well-written!:)_

_Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo but my OC, Jenny, belongs to me along with some of the ideas in here. With that being said, I would not mind if you took some of my ideas and elaborated on it. In fact, I encourage it. Just as long as you __**credit**__ me. You see, the whole purpose of writing this fic was because I was inspired by some really good self-inserts for Bleach like __**'Be Careful What You Wish For' **__by __**barrelracer36**__. It's really good so please, if you like my story, check that one out too._

_Also, I wanted to write something with my own interpretations on what __**I**__ would do if that were __**me**__ going into the Bleach world. I would often find myself daydreaming about what would happen, hence my username. So please, if you have the time, I would __**love **__to see what you guys think of my story if you could change some things by writing up your own self-insert story. _

_Oh! And it doesn't have to be with my ideas too. It could be your own along with a different setting. Like instead of landing in the Soul Society, you land in Hueco Mundo or maybe the Bleach cast lands in our world instead of us landing in theirs. Anyway, please remember that it's totally optional. You don't need to do that if you don't want to. I at least hope hope that my story made you think about what __**you**__ would do if __**you**__ were in Jenny's place. That's one of the main reasons why I started this in the first place. So, thank you to all those who reviewed and supported my story so far. Also thank you to __**SwirlzSmile**__ for beta-reading this chapter! See ya! And please, please review!XD _


	13. Aizen's Descent into the Heavens

**Chapter 12-Aizen's Descent into the Heavens**

I looked nervously at Ichigo and Renji as they backed away from Aizen. I was still on the ground where I had originally landed due to Gin's sudden kick to my stomach. I was bleeding profusely and didn't have enough strength to move away from the traitorous trio. They were standing about three feet away from me. I was scared just by being next to them because I knew that they could kill me at any given moment.

But something told me they wanted me alive...or at least Aizen did. He would've given Gin permission to kill me already if he was actually serious about that. Instead, all I got were these injuries. At that thought, I was afraid that Aizen might be interested in me. If he was, then it could mean a lot of the plot would be changed. Not to mention the fact I would be in real deep shit. Or maybe I was just over thinking the whole situation.

He could have viewed me as a piece of dirt that could easily be cast aside. If he did, then he was an overconfident bastard whose arrogance would be his downfall. Then again, it would also be to my advantage since I could continue to help Ichigo and the Soul Society without unnecessary worries. As I was thinking, Ichigo and Renji were talking to each other.

"Ichigo," Renji said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"Heh! It's alright. But all you had to do was carry Rukia away and look at you. Either she gained a lot of weight or you're weak because you look all beat up," Ichigo all but smirked. Renji started to retort indignantly.

"Yeah, look who's talking. Maybe instead of coming here, you should have gone back to bed."

"You got a lot of nerve talking like that to the guy who just came to save your butt!" I looked over at Rukia and noticed she was still pressed against Renji's chest. Oh, this was going to be sweet! If I remembered correctly, this was going to be so freaking funny. I couldn't wait to see this!

"I was about to thank you, you idiot, but I'm not going to now!" Renji yelled as Rukia had just about enough. The two looked down at Rukia as she took in a deep breath. Then she punched Renji in the face and started yelling at him.

"You big...stupid!" Both froze as she continued her little rant. They knew they were in deep shit. Warning: Never piss off Rukia otherwise it might be the last thing you do.

"You think I'm trying to make a new world record for holding my breath? You were crushing the wind out of me! You almost killed me!"

She waved her hands in the air to emphasize her point. I couldn't help but laugh. This was priceless! Man, seeing this in person was way better than on TV! Just then, Gin started speaking and I immediately sobered up. Now the next part was no laughing matter. If I didn't do something soon, then Ichigo and Renji would be in the same position as I was, but in even worse shape.

"Sorry 'bout that. I didn't think you'd want me to interfere Sousuke, so I let the Ryoka get by."

"No matter. It's fine. When you're cleaning the house, it doesn't make any difference whether there's one piece of dirt or two," Aizen said calmly. Renji and Ichigo overheard him and turned their attention back over to him.

"So, this is Aizen then," Ichigo mused and Renji nodded, confirming his suspicion. The two went on about what to do next. They knew it was useless to try and run. I heard Ichigo say that if they were to join forces, then what could go wrong? Obviously, he was underestimating Aizen's abilities and strength. Che! He was being as cocky as always. But well, that's Ichigo for you. Renji nodded in agreement and I knew it was time to interfere.

_Oh boy, this is not going to end well! I have to do something! I just can't let them get hurt again! I've had enough of watching all this bloodshed! If I can warn them about this, then I will! I don't want it to happen again!_

"Ichigo, Renji! Don't..."

I immediately shut my mouth when Aizen's group glared at me. It wasn't because of Aizen and the others that stopped me. Okay maybe it was, but it was also something else. Something that was of far greater importance that I had forgotten and overlooked. Something that made me curse to myself at how stupid I had been for doing that.

All this time, I was telling them what to do and what not to do in the fights that went on. I never stopped to think about how it would affect the others. By me telling them what to do, like saying when to shunpo and when to dodge and duck, I was lowering their chances of gaining experience in their battles. They already knew how to fight. And by me telling them all the moves they were going to make, it was like Granny Chiyo controlling Sakura when they were fighting Sasori. Meaning it was like I was the one controlling their moves and that they weren't thinking for themselves.

If that went on, then they would become reliant on me for the answers. Thus they would not be able to think for themselves and get what they were supposed to from their fights. It would probably have some kind of affect on the plot too. I was sure of it, though I didn't know exactly how it would affect it. But I think I was right in telling Toshiro that tidbit of info in the Meeting Room. It was real important to the story. The extra info about ducking and not doing something would have to be left out if I wanted everything to go smoothly.

That was what I decided on right then and there and that was what I was going to do in the future. With that in mind, I reluctantly laid back and watched in helplessness as the two started to split up. Yes, if I interfered in this, then Renji and Ichigo probably wouldn't go down like they were supposed to. Thus making it all the more easier for something to go wrong and change the plot-line.

Of course, I wasn't so sure that something of that caliber would be that harmful to the story, but it was better safe than sorry. In any case, even if I was to warn them, the result would probably be the same. Ichigo and Renji were _meant_ to go down at this point and therefore they _had_ to go down. It was already decided. There was nothing I could do, least I wanted to screw everything up.

I sucked in a deep breath and closed my eyes. I had to hold it in even though I so badly wanted to warn them. There were some things that would have to happen and this was another one of those things, no matter how small it was. Sacrifices must be made in order to achieve. Not telling the two of them what was going to happen was my sacrifice. I opened my eyes and prayed that everything would go well for them even though I knew it wouldn't. I sadly imagined Ichigo's theme song, 'Number One', playing in the background.

Renji used Zabimaru to distract Aizen as Ichigo charged in. I saw him within striking distance and turned my head away. I couldn't watch this. I couldn't interfere. As he swung his blade, Aizen simply smirked and stopped it with his index finger. Ichigo gasped as he looked on in disbelief. I turned my head back just as his blood spurted onto the ground. He collapsed to his knees with a pained grunt with Aizen still holding his sword in his hand. I looked at him regretfully and muttered under my breath.

"I'm so sorry Ichigo, but I just couldn't." Gin turned towards me sharply, but I didn't care. Aizen spoke again as he looked down at Ichigo.

"Well now, I thought I had succeeded in cutting you completely in half, but I didn't strike deep enough."

"Ichigo," Renji breathed in shock as his friend slumped over, breathing heavily. Suddenly, Aizen shunpoed away as Renji's eyes widened. Aizen reappeared behind him just as quickly and I saw Renji's left shoulder get cut open from Aizen's sword.

I gasped and bit back my urge to cry his name. The last thing I needed was to draw more attention to myself. After all, if I got killed, then who would give them advice about the future? Maybe not exactly the truth, but little hints here and there. Like the ones I gave Toshiro that weren't really specific but just enough to get him to think outside the box. Renji swore as he slumped to the ground. Rukia's eyes widened in fear as Aizen walked towards her.

"Come now, stand up, Rukia Kuchiki."

His left hand went to grab Rukia's collar that was around her neck. He picked her off the ground and I could tell how scared she was. I wanted so badly to help her but I knew I couldn't. This was the part where Aizen would get the Hogyoku. He had to in order for the story to go as planned. If I interfered right now, then I would have to take the risk of things going a different path. Then I would be useless to Ichigo and the others and all would have been for nothing.

"Hmph, I see. My spiritual pressure has caused your body to go limp," Aizen said. While he did so, Ichigo tried his hardest to stand up. But the strain on him was really, really tough to bear. Aizen turned towards him with a look of mock pity.

"Poor, doomed thing. Is he actually still conscious?"

_How dare you, you bastard! How dare you make fun of him!_

I growled under my breath. I turned to Ichigo and noticed that he was worse off than I was. Luckily, we could both withstand Aizen's spiritual pressure, otherwise we would've been dead.

"Your stamina is amazing but your spine is barely connected to your body. You should lie still. At any rate, you have each served your purpose. Your job in all this is done now," Aizen stated as he placed Kyoka Suigetsu back in its sheath.

_Oh boy, here we go again. Aizen's going to do his spiel about how Ichigo fell right into his plans.  
_

I rolled my eyes. I just hoped that Ichigo would be okay after he knew the truth. Most likely he wouldn't. I mean, if someone went up to you and said that the whole reason why you were fighting was because it was part of their plan, wouldn't you feel dejected and pissed off? I know I would.

"O..Our job is done?"

"That's correct."

Aizen went on to explain the details of Ichigo's role in his plans. The whole time he was talking, I was mentally swearing at him and glaring daggers at said man. I could see the sheer disbelief on Ichigo's face. I could only imagine what kind of inner turmoil Ichigo was going through. I looked over at Rukia and noticed she wasn't doing any better either. Next he explained about Urahara's involvement and the Hogyoku. Then about how he discovered where it was located after Rukia went to the Living World.

_Bull-shit! That isn't true at all! You already knew where the Hogyoku was the whole time! Not to mention that you're lying about how you know of Ichigo through Rukia. You already knew about him because Ichigo was special since the day he was born. He was born a hybrid. He's both a human and a Soul Reaper. Damn you to hell, you freaking liar!_

I huffed in complete annoyance.

"Liar!" I muttered. I immediately regretted it as Aizen stopped midsentence to stare at me. His eyes held slight surprise, then returned to normal after a moment. My own eyes widened as I realized what I had done.

_Shit! He actually heard that! I swear that he has some sort of special ability that lets him hear even the slightest of whispers! Damn it!_

I groaned to myself while Aizen continued on with his speech. At that point, I was worried about him knowing that I knew the truth about what he was really up to. By the way he acted that means that he acknowledged the fact that I called him a liar and that he _was _lying about some things.

_Oh god! I just screwed myself up! I really hope he doesn't decide to act on his suspicions and try to do something with me. I pretty much know everything about his plans in the future, so if he did, then I would be in some seriously deep shit._

I bitterly hung my head and lowered my eyes. Then I felt an angry spiritual pressure heading straight for us. I looked up to see a huge shadow descending on Aizen and realized it was Komamura. He landed right behind him and Aizen turned around to see who it was. Of course, I was pretty sure he already knew.

"Aizen!" Komamura screeched, swinging his zanpakuto down. The ground shook from the impact and dust went flying everywhere. After it cleared, I saw Aizen holding Komamura's sword with his bare hand. It had stopped the fatal blow from reaching him. If it were anyone else besides him, it would have hit dead on.

"It's been quite awhile since the last time I saw your face. What's brought out the change in heart, Sajin? Has something happened?" Aizen casually asked as if he were asking the time of day.

_Che! You know exactly what happened Aizen!_

I growled again, gritting my teeth to stop a retort. No need to get myself killed at the moment. Though in all actuality I was close to it.

"Aizen, how dare you stand there and smile like that? You betrayed everybody! Every one of us! You will not be forgiven! Nor will you, Kaname!" Komamura shouted. I knew he was having flashbacks to the times he and Tousen were together. Eww! Not like that guys! You perverts! I didn't mean it _that_ way!

_Well, he's not your friend anymore Komamura, not anymore. Maybe sometime in the future he will be again, but by that time, it'll probably be too late.  
_

I felt sorry for him, but that was cut short as he raised his gigantic fist and swung, his Bankai arm following close behind. Aizen jumped into the air as the fist smashed right where Aizen had been. Komamura got angrier and I swear that he was growling. Aizen landed in front of Tousen with a smirk on his face. Then I saw him calmly walk up to Komamura. Komamura didn't notice this as I realized it was because he was still under Kyoka Suigetsu's spell. I never saw Aizen's Shikai so I was safe from the illusion. Still, I gulped as I knew what was going to happen next.

"Kaname! If you've got an explanation, I need to hear it now!"

Silence ensued and the tension in the air was pretty unbearable. Sweat trickled down my neck as I gulped.

"That's it? Nothing? Too bad, Kaname."

Komamura raised his spiritual pressure higher and I saw Aizen smile.

"Bankai!"

_No! Not again! I'm definitely not going to sit this one out! There's no reason for me **not** to interfere with this! Komamura doesn't need to get hurt with that Kido. I can't think of any repercussions from trying to help him out, so I guess it's okay._

At that point, I just didn't care. All I knew was that Komamura needed help and he needed it now!

"Komamura, look out! Get away from him! He's going to use Black Coffin on you!"

From where he stood, Aizen looked discreetly over to me with a smirk, then brought up his free hand. He said the Kido spell and black energy started to appear in his hand. A huge black box surrounded Komamura on all sides. When it disappeared, he slumped to the ground with a pained grunt. Ichigo and I looked on in fear of Aizen's powers.

"Kyoka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis is flawless, but even if there were a flaw, it would be impossible to escape it."

_Oh, how wrong you are Aizen. You can easily escape Kyoka Suigetsu's power. The trick to that is to get near you and touch it __before you__ can release it though._

I smirked inwardly as Gin started walking towards us with Rukia in tow.

"Ya can never keep yer mouth, now can ya, Ryoka girl? Too bad though. It didn't work. He still got cut down anyways." I glared as he turned his attention back to Aizen.

"So, that's unspoken Hado #90. Pretty scary stuff. I take it you mastered that little attack when I wasn't looking."

"No, it was a failure. What you saw was only about a third of its true destructive potential. Number 90's difficult to control." Gin moved forward to meet him as Aizen took hold of Rukia's collar yet again.

"Now then...Oh sorry, I hadn't finished explaining things to you, had I?" he said, looking over at Ichigo.

"Ichigo!" Uryu called out and saw Orihime's group running towards us.

"No, go away!" Ichigo yelled out to them and they stopped in mid-step. They all took in the scene before them and I could see that they were really worried.

"Oh no, you shouldn't be moving," Gin teased as he released his spiritual pressure on them.

"No!" I yelled out. They tried to shield themselves but it failed. Most of them fell to the ground because it was just too much to withstand. The ones who were still standing were having trouble doing so. I wish I could have done something to help them. But this had to happen and I was way too weak to even try an attack Gin, let alone Aizen himself. Then Aizen pulled out an object that looked like what divers had in order to breathe underwater from his robes.

The air around the object started to gather as these six green pillar like things came out of the ground and surrounded him and Rukia. Rukia looked around in fear as Ichigo yelled at Aizen to stop. Too late. Aizen's hand turned green. He held Rukia up and plunged his hand into her chest. Rukia gasped while we all looked on in shock.

In his hand...was the Hogyoku itself.

Looking at it in real life was just beyond extraordinary. No words could begin to even describe it. In Aizen's hand was the one thing that pretty much started this whole mess. I could feel its power beating inside the protective case it was in. It was just...literally amazing! Rukia slumped to the ground and I could only imagine how she felt right now. I mean come on, she just had someone stick their hand into her chest and take out an object that was in her soul. Can you say painful much? And how come Rukia is always the one getting a handful of punches right into her body? First Aizen, then later on Grimmjow! Really Kubo-sensei, do you enjoy torturing Rukia that much? Come on man! Just give her some slack already!

"So this is the Hogyoku. How fascinating. I didn't expect it to be so small," Aizen mused while examining it. The hole in Rukia's chest healed almost immediately and my eyes widened. Rukia's role in this was over, so if I was correct, Aizen would be telling Gin to get rid of her. He picked her up and held her in the air.

"Kill her, Gin." Ichigo gulped as did I. I still didn't know if Byakuya would make it in time.

_Please Byakuya, you have to be here! If Rukia dies right now, it could change everything!_

Gin turned away from the group he was currently holding back and unsheathed his zanpakuto. He smiled as he turned it over.

"Well, if I must. Shoot to kill, Shinso!" he called out as his blade came hurling towards Rukia.

_Byakuya! Hurry the damn up already! She's really going to die at this rate! I'm in no position to help her right now!_

I was sweating bullets on the inside. The story couldn't change right now, it just couldn't! Shinso came so close to Rukia that I thought she was absolutely done for. But when I looked again, I saw Byakuya shunpo over to her and take the blow instead. I sighed in relief as I continued to watch.

"Oh no, brother," Rukia breathed in shock that her own brother would actually save her. The blade retracted back to its original size. His blood splattered on the ground as he slumped to his knees.

"Byakuya! Byakuya, why? Why did you protect me?" she cried as he panted heavily. Aizen walked towards them and I hoped that Yoruichi would be here soon, along with the rest of the Soul Reapers. If they didn't, then we were all done for. He started to unsheathe his zanpakuto, but stopped and looked up towards the sky. It was then that I noticed another spiritual pressure and realized it was actually Jidanbo and Kukkaku who were the first to arrive at the scene. I could see a big ball of yellow energy gather at her palms as she aimed it at Aizen and the ground exploded on contact.

"Kukkaku!" Ganju shouted.

"And Jidanbo!" Orihime exclaimed. The rest of the group, including me, were relieved that backup had finally arrived. But I knew it would be short lived. Aizen shunpoed out of the way only to be met with Yoruichi and Soifon, swords pointing at his neck to keep him from moving.

"This is another face I haven't seen for quite some time," Aizen said to Yoruichi.

"Don't do it. If you even move so much as a muscle..." Yoruichi started.

"...then we're going to cut off your head!" Soifon finished venomously. Aizen blinked and calmly retorted.

"Yes, I can see that."

"Hey Yoruichi! What's up? I had a little free time on my hands so since I was out, I thought I'd check in!" Kukkaku shouted. Meanwhile, I looked over at Gin to see what he was up to since I knew it was almost time.

* * *

"Well, that sure was flashy, right Ryoka girl?"

"Hmph! Why are you doing this to her, Gin?" I asked in a low voice so that Aizen wouldn't hear. Of course, I knew the real reason why he was defecting with Aizen. I just wanted him to stay with Rangiku because I loved seeing them together. I didn't want to see him causing Rangiku so much pain. Still, it was probably a foolish wish of mine. One that would never be fulfilled...

I continued before he got a chance to reply.

"Why are making things so difficult for her? She really cares about you, you know? And you're throwing everything away. I know why you joined up with Aizen in the first place. But still, couldn't there have been some other way than what you're choosing to do right now?"

His ever present smile faded.

"Wha...How?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about what I just said to you. And I expect you to do the same when you get _there_. I like you a lot Gin, I really do. I consider you a friend even though I may not have seemed that way at first. And as a friend, I'm telling you to be careful around Aizen. You never know what he's planning or what he already knows. So please, just be careful."

He opened his eyes, revealing shocked light blue ones. He stared at me in genuine surprise. He nodded slowly, as if coming out of a dream. In his daze, Rangiku came over and he snapped out of it. His smile came back into place and his eyes closed once more.

* * *

Rangiku placed her sword at Gin's neck and held onto him.

"You shouldn't even move," she spat and the tension between them rose. I didn't know what came over me when I said those things to Gin. But I hoped that it wouldn't affect the plot-line too much. Maybe now, since Gin knows that I'm a friend, he'll help me out if Aizen ever wants information on me. I hoped that he would lie in order to protect me, but I think that was asking a bit too much of him. He looked at Rangiku, then at me, and spoke.

"Sorry Captain Aizen, I got caught." Aizen 'hmphed' at his subordinate's statement, knowing full well he was just playing. He smiled while turning his attention back to the two that had him restrained.

"This is the end," Yoruichi growled to him.

"What? Did you say something?"

"Don't you understand, Aizen? There is no place left for you. No place you can escape to," she continued as the other Captains and Lieutenants started to arrived. They all looked at him remorsefully, staring at the person they once called their friend.

"Sousuke, how could you?" Ukitake muttered. I looked over and saw that Tousen had been captured as well by Hisagi. Everyone was here and now there was no escape for Aizen...or so everyone thought. There was a whole lot of tension in the air. No one spoke nor moved for what seemed like forever. Aizen smirked and I knew it was time. I spoke before I could think about the consequences of my actions.

"Yoruichi, Soifon, Rangiku, Hisagi! Move back, now!"

They looked at me like I was crazy. I was so used to helping them that I didn't think twice about what I just did. And just when I told myself that I was only going to give them hints about the real important stuff instead of outright saying things. Old habits really do die hard. Aizen glanced at me, still smirking, and chuckled.

"I'm sorry to do this, but the time has come."

"Soi Fon, get back!" Yoruichi shouted. A beam of light engulfed him which I knew to be Negacion. A Garganta appeared in the sky along with a whole bunch of Menos Grande. The Captains and the rest of the people there gasped in shock. I could hear them talking about how there were so many of them and that there was something else behind the Hollows.

_Yes, there is definitely something behind the Hollows. They'll find out about that later on in the future. And that's not even the half of it._

Rangiku and Hisagi also let go of their captives as more beams appeared from the sky and surrounded the other traitors.

"Well, that's a bit of a letdown. I was enjoying that. I wouldn't have minded being your captive a little longer. So long, Rangiku. Maybe next time," Gin said remorsefully.

He turned towards her and I immediately got his hint. His face once again no longer held his smile. Rangiku looked on in shock at him. He looked at me one last time and I nodded slightly at him to tell him that it was alright. That this was what he must do, even if we both wanted it to be some other way. He nodded back a bit towards me. Then the pieces of rock that the three were standing on broke apart and were suddenly levitating in midair.

Tetsuzaemon took out his zanpakuto but Yamamoto stopped him. Aizen was already out of their reach once the beams of light hit them. He explained why that was to the rest of the people standing there. They looked at them in disbelief. Komamura's hand plunged into the ground.

"Kaname! Come back, Kaname! Have you forgotten? You once told me why you became a Soul Reaper! Wasn't it for your friend who lost their life? Wasn't it to carry out your justice? Where is your sense of justice now because I don't see it!"

"I thought I made it clear to you. My eyes can only see one path, and that is the path with the least amount of blood. Justice is always there. And the path I follow...is justice," he replied.

"Ugh, Kaname."

Ukitake stepped forward and stared at Aizen. Ichigo once again tried to get up, but his injuries prevented him from doing so. "You've joined with the Menos. Why would you want to do that?" Ukitake asked in an accusatory tone.

"I need to keep reaching higher," he simply stated.

"Have you become that corrupt? Have you?"

_Here we go. Aizen's Wannabe God speech all over again_.

"You're blinded by your self-righteousness. From the very beginning, no one has ever stood at the top. Neither you, nor me, nor the Gods. But soon, that unobtainable vacancy will be filled. From now on, I alone will stand in the heavens."

He crushed his glasses and slicked back his hair in that huge moment that was known as the 'I am a total bastard moment' by me and some of my friends. He opened his eyes, revealing the menace and contempt he had for all of us. It made me cower in fear. Everyone continued staring at them in disgust as they continued rising. Now they were standing in the hands of some of the Menos.

"Goodbye, Soul Reapers. Goodbye, Ryoka boy. Even I have to admit that you were quite amusing...for a human."

Now, that last statement could have been hinting at what Ichigo really was. It was true that he was human but he was also half Soul Reaper. To those of us who knew the secret, it was hard to tell if Aizen was mocking him or if he was complementing him. More than likely it was the former even if the others didn't know it. Then he said something that made _my_ blood turn cold. Though I sort of admit that I suspected as much due to my stupidity at saying things I should have kept to myself.

"And goodbye, Ryoka girl. You are a strange little human, a strange little human indeed. I had my suspicions about you and your abilities. Now I know for sure that you can see the future. Maybe you can be of some use to me afterall."

He smirked and I gulped, my face contorting in fear at those words. Then the Garganta in the sky closed.

_Ugh! Just what have I gotten myself into this time?_

I gulped again and slumped over. Yup, I was in real big trouble now.

* * *

_Here you guys go! Another rewritten chapter is finally out! Yahs! I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm so glad I rewrote this because I noticed a lot of mistakes from the first time around. If you see any more mistakes in here, just PM me and I'll change them right away. Thank you to _**SwirlzSmile**_ for beta-reading this chapter. And thanks to all those who reviewed and supported my story thus far! Byes!XD _

_Review please?_


	14. The Aftermath

**Chapter 13-The Aftermath**

As the riff in the sky closed, the sighs of relief of everyone around me- including myself -were heard. After that things immediately became hectic as they tended to the injured. The Head Captain left as soon as the 4th Squad was called in and that everything was settled. He looked at me before he did so. I could tell he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth as he thought better of it. Then he shunpoed away from the Sokyoku leaving the rest of us behind.

_Probably to tend to some other things that need to be taken care of as the Head Captain. Life must be tough since he's the leader, especially after he let all this happen. His pride must be seriously hurt now._

I looked at the spot where he just left. I also wanted to talk to him about some very important things on my mind. But... now was definitely not the time. I would have to save it for later.

Some of the Captains and Lieutenants, along with a couple of random squad members, occasionally glanced at me. I thought about retorting, but that wouldn't help the situation now would it? They were still probably thinking about what Aizen said. About how I could see the future and how I would be useful to him. Now _that_ was scary.

_Why the hell did Aizen say that? He could have just kept quiet about my ability to see the future. Instead, he purposely said it to the others like it was no big deal. Surely knowing someone who had the ability to see the future would be a great liability or a great asset. If it were me, I would have tried to kill or at least kidnap me. But no, he chose to let me **live **and go** free**. **Why? **What could he possibly gain from this?_

I anxiously bit my bottom lip. This was getting to me. It should have because of what could happen if I wasn't careful. I was not, as I said before, an Aizen mind-reader. I knew this would come back to haunt me. I was sure of it. If Aizen himself said I was interesting and let me live because of that, then I knew something was up. The others did too, otherwise they wouldn't be staring at me like that.

"Just what is that bastard up to? Urgh, damn it! Just what is he planning to do with me?" I muttered, punching the ground angrily. I tried calming down and focused on my surroundings. My injuries weren't too bad compared to some others. When a squad member came to aid me, I politely declined. The others needed to be healed first even though I was in real pain. A cloth was given to me to stop the bleeding though. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. The squad member looked in admiration at my selflessness then went back to his job.

"Groups 2 and 3, care for Captain Kuchiki. Groups 7, 10, 11, and 13 all help to heal Captain Komamura. Lieutenant Abarai is to receive level six surgery. Groups 8 and 9, prepare to move out. Come on, let's go everyone! Move out! These people are seriously injured!" 3rd Seat Iemura called to some of the Squad 4 healers who had just arrived.

"Byakuya! Byakuya!" Rukia cried as people gathered around to heal his injuries. One had to restrain her so they could properly heal him.

"Just stay back. He's not healed yet."

I knew how she felt though. I looked at Byakuya lying on the ground and felt sorry for him. I tore my eyes away with much difficulty and focused on some of the others. It was partially my fault for getting him injured since I didn't effectively save Rukia myself.

_Sacrifices, sacrifices. There must always be a sacrifice in life. That's the way the world works._

I remembered the vow I took and planned to withhold in the future. But would I really be able to live with myself if I did that? There were so many things I could prevent. So many people that I could save. Even if it was just the little events that took place. But would I really risk the chance of dealing with the consequences if I interfered?

Truth was, even I didn't know the real answer to that. But... I would have to try, otherwise the whole reason why I came here would be useless. If I just sat back and watched... what good would that do? So I chose to help them, but to a certain extent. That was the best way to go about this right now. I sighed as Komamura staggered, trying to leave. Squad members ran up to help him. He only held out his hand to tell them to forget about him and tend to the others.

_Awww, how sweet!_

I smiled as he limped away. Komamura was so noble and that was why he was one of my favorites. But of course not that high up on the list like Ichigo, Toshiro, and Byakuya. Renji was lifted onto a stretcher and I couldn't help but jolt worryingly for a second there. He was still unconscious from his wounds. Ichigo was getting healed by Orihime and I smiled. With Orihime healing him, he would most definitely be fine.

"Excuse me, 3rd Seat Iemura, where would you like us to start?" a male Soul Reaper asked as a female one followed close behind.

"I want you to assist in the healing of those Ryoka." He noticed me from where he was and nodded his head. I nodded back in acknowledgment. The two saw this but the male interrupted.

"Huh? But sir..."

"You have been made aware of their status, have you not? They are the saviors of the Soul Society. Now go!" Iemura commanded.

"Ah! Yes, sir!" they replied, running towards me. This time I gladly accepted their help. I deemed it was safe for me to get healed now that everybody else was dealt with. I tried standing up, only to end up coughing more blood and falling to my knees. They held me and told me not to move. I thought it wise to take their advice.

In the end I sat up with the girl healing my stomach and the guy healing my shoulder. I would've done it myself, but I didn't really study the Kido spells for healing since I thought they were kind of dumb. I was always interested in the explosive and binding Kido spells when I was watching Bleach. I just thought healing spells weren't my style if I were to ever fight in actual combat, you know?

_Oh how I regret ever thinking that now._

I sighed, surveying my wounds. My stomach was just bruised but it still needed to be treated. The shoulder... was a whole different story. According to what the guy told me, it would appear that the wound was a few millimeters away from my heart. Any lower and it would have killed me instantly. I gulped, realizing how close I had been to dying again. And what was worse was the fact that it would have been at Aizen's hands. I shuddered.

By having him stop a few millimeters, that was cutting it way too close. This wound was clearly meant to stop me from doing anything else that would interfere with his plans, but certainly not enough to kill me. Again, this made me wonder just what exactly Aizen was planning to do with me. He let me live on purpose and I hated that. I would have to find out no matter what.

Seriously, having an evil overlord interested in you is enough to make you shiver in fear and anxiety. You have absolutely no idea what he has in store and it makes you feel useless inside. That's what I was feeling right now. Useless... unable to stop whatever he was planning in the future concerning me.

Unohana came by and I overheard her saying that both Toshiro and Momo were in the clear. But their recovery rate would be up to them for that matter. I sighed with relief when I heard the news. At least they didn't die. That was what I was most afraid of. That somehow, the actions of certain people would be more than I expected since I was an added factor.

It was already proven by Hichigo's appearance lasting longer than it was supposed to. That could have resulted in both me and Byakuya getting killed. Thank God that didn't happen though! I really considered myself lucky because I knew how merciless Hichigo could be. I shuddered again at the thought.

After 15 minutes of healing, Unohana went up to me saying that Byakuya wanted to see me, along with Rukia. I immediately knew what this was going to be about. The question was... why did Byakuya want _me_? It was only supposed to be Rukia, so then why me too?

I thanked Unohana for the message as she helped me up. I limped over to where the two of them were sitting with Unohana by my side.

I panted heavily. My shoulder was pulsing and my stomach was heaving with each breath I took. I was no longer bleeding, but I still felt weak. I knew I would look pale if I saw my reflection.

I felt pain with each step I took. Nausea was threatening to overcome me but I held it in, sitting down beside Rukia. She was holding Byakuya's hand like there was no tomorrow. Unohana sat on the other side of him and nodded her head before she went quiet. I surveyed his injuries gravely then broke out into a forced half smile.

"Hey there, Byakuya! Long time no see!" I chuckled as we stared at each other.

"It is Captain Kuchiki to you girl, and yes, it has been quite a while since we last met," he stated coldly. His eyes were slightly narrowed in frustration because I didn't use his title.

_Oh geez! Come on Byakuya! Lighten up a bit! Oh well, that's Byakuya for you._

I giggled inwardly, mentally rolling my eyes. He would never learn, now would he? Just like how Ichigo refuses to call him by his title, I would too. I hated formalities with a passion and would only use them if I wanted to be extra polite. But I knew Byakuya too well to do that. Plus it was just so fun messing with him! My face turned serious, speaking in a stern voice.

"Byakuya, that was really unlike you and totally reckless, might I add. Still, I'm glad to know that you're alright."

"I know," he sighed, looking at the landscape next to him. After a couple moments, he turned back to us.

"There's something... that's been weighing heavily on my heart. An old story, from 50 years ago..."

Rukia and I both jolted with a start. I knew he was going to tell Rukia about Hisana and I resolved myself to refrain from adding anything unnecessary to his story. It was none of my business in the first place anyway.

He told Rukia about his past with Hisana and how Hisana was actually her older sister. The look on her face was pure shock when she heard that. Then Byakuya continued once he knew that the news had registered in her mind. He told her of Hisana's actions and how she regretted leaving Rukia in Inuzuri all by herself and the effort to retrieve her from that horrid place.

Ichigo and the others were nearby when this happened. They acted like they couldn't hear, but I knew better. They all had grim expressions on their faces. If that wasn't a tell-tale sign that they were listening, I don't know what was. The heart-wrenching, tragic tale between Byakuya and Hisana was just so sad. I lowered my face and began to cry. Tears streamed down and I could do nothing to stop them. Hearing this in person, seeing their expressions in the flesh... it was just too much.

Luckily, I was composed enough not to break down in a real crying fit. Now _that_ would have been embarrassing. Byakuya saw my tears underneath my lowered face. He stopped for a second to look at me with a somewhat strange expression. I looked up and returned his gaze. His eyes were a little bit more compassionate, but only by a fraction. I guess it was because he was talking about Hisana. It was probably because of this that we could see the softer side of him that I knew was buried deep within him somewhere.

I blushed after our gazes left each other and turned my attention back to the story. He went on and told her that it was against the law of the nobles to bring in someone from the Rukon District into their household, but he did so anyway. And it wasn't just once, but twice. He broke the law for both Hisana and Rukia. He explained why he did what he did when he found out Rukia was to be executed and how he was in utter turmoil over the verdict.

"Yes and if it weren't for this Ryoka girl I would have never been able to decide. I would have never been able to choose what I wanted to do as a person. She made me realize that I needed to protect you at all costs and it was _her_ words that made me come back to this place to rescue you. I thank you, Jenny Kadaline, for your advice back then," Byakuya said, his eyes holding deep gratitude as he looked at me.

"Hey, no problem Byakuya. It was the least I could do for you," I told him, shyly scratching my head in embarrassment. He stiffened at the casual use of his first name, but ignored it in the end. Even _he_ felt the need to not ruin the moment since it was very rare indeed.

I was pretty sure he was glad for this chance to speak his mind. It wasn't often that the _great_ Byakuya Kuchiki got to relax like this. Inwardly, I jumped for joy. I just couldn't believe that _the_ Byakuya Kuchiki thanked me for helping him. It was very rare in itself for him to even _acknowledge_ that someone helped him. That was a great honor and it made me happy. But... I was also wondering about what he said before. How my words had actually caused him to go back and rescue Rukia.

_So... is he saying that he wouldn't have come back if I didn't talk to him? Yikes! That doesn't make any sense at all!_

I frantically pondered it for a second, then decided to let it go. I would worry later when I had some time to myself. Byakuya looked over at Ichigo. He said thank you to him too for also making him see what he needed to do. Ichigo opened his eyes and I could tell he was shocked at the statement. He kept quiet though and went back to concentrating on being healed by Orihime. Rukia glanced over to him with a smile plastered on her face. She turned and looked at me with that same smile. I returned it, then gasped loudly.

"Oh! We never really introduced ourselves, now have we? Well, my name's Jenny Kadaline and it's really nice to meet you," I stated cheerfully. I extended my hand out. She gladly took it.

"Likewise. I'm Rukia Kuchiki, and I'm sure we'll be great friends in the future." A real smile played across her lips as I was trying to get over the fact that I was shaking hands with _the_Rukia Kuchiki, the girl I idolized most in the _entire_ series of Bleach.

"Yup! I'm sure we will!"

Just as I said that, Byakuya started coughing. We both gasped at the sound and stared down at him to make sure he was alright.

"Rukia... I'm sorry," he said as she stifled her attempts to cry.

"It's okay Rukia. You don't have to bear everything by yourself. Just let them out," I told her. Her eyes widened as she recognized some of the words Renji said while they were running away from the Sokyoku. I put my arms around her as she started to cry while leaning on me. She rested her head on my good shoulder and squeezed Byakuya's hand even harder.

I held her close and felt at peace for once since I came here. Byakuya and I gazed at each other as I started to cry again. Unohana stared silently, sadness clearly evident in her eyes. Yet she didn't comment on anything which I was grateful for. I sighed. It was finally over. The struggle Rukia had to go through just to get Byakuya's attention was now over. Their relationship would be even deeper than it was before and I was crying for that reason.

After a little while, Rukia and I calmed down and I released her from my hug. I took a deep breath and looked over to where Ichigo was. I smiled softly, then excused myself as I told them that I was going to see how Ichigo was faring. They nodded and thanked me for my time but I turned it around and thanked them instead. I started staggering my way over to Ichigo, Orihime, and the others.

"Hey guys! What's up?" I mock saluted them. The group looked up from where they were and smiled.

"Jenny, you're back!" Orihime cried.

"Yup! I'm here like I promised. Though, not in the state I was hoping to be in." I rolled my eyes as they laughed at my attempt to lighten up the mood.

"So Ichigo..." I drawled. He looked up to see what I had to say.

"Glad that you're well. I hope that means that you can get off your lazy ass and actually go down to the Barracks. You need to get some sleep, along with the rest of us." I smirked, returning his gaze. He gawked indignantly, giving me a piece of his mind, albeit half-heartily of course.

"Wha... hey! If you haven't noticed, I was almost completely cut in half! Cut me some slack!" I chuckled at his reaction to my teasing.

"I'm also glad that you guys are alright too," I added as they nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, they sure let us have it pretty good, didn't they?" Ichigo growled as I turned to speak to him.

"Yes they did. But Ichigo, you know they went easy on us right? They could have killed us on the spot because we were so weak. They left us alive on purpose. The question now is... why?" My voice became eerily creepy at the end. Everyone pondered what I said, especially Ichigo and I since Aizen expressed an interest in us. I noticed everyone going into depression mode so I instantly switched tactics. Anything to stop the oncoming doom cloud that was starting to form.

"Well enough about that! Let's go down to where everyone else is. I'm sure they'll let us stay in one of the Barracks for the night. Can you stand, Ichigo?" I stretched my good arm as I yawned. I was really sore and I just wanted to go to bed at that point.

"Yeah, I think so."

He stretched his arms also as Orihime's Soten Kisshun disappeared back into her hairpins. I stared in amazement even though I had seen it so many times before. It was totally awesome and I loved the style of it! It was just so cool! Still, that didn't mean that Orihime was one of my favorite characters. I acknowledged her, but I loved Rukia the best.

Ichigo stood up weakly and wobbled for a few seconds. Uryu and Chad held him up on both sides as Unohana came by. She said that she would escort us to the 4th Squad Barracks where Ichigo and I would be admitted. As for the others, she said that rooms would be made available in other Squad Barracks so they could rest and recuperate.

We all nodded and followed Unohana onto Minazuki. Minazuki made a whale-like noise to signal she understood and flew towards the barracks. That was the first time I ever rode on Minazuki. It was so freaking cool! Now I knew how Aladdin felt when he rode on his magic carpet. I chuckled at the thought.

After a couple minutes, we landed in one of the gardens outside of the barracks and got off. Unohana called back Minazuki while Ichigo and I were escorted into the infirmary. Before the two of us went inside, we bid her, Orihime, and the others goodnight. Then they left to go to their rooms with Unohana leading the way.

The whole infirmary was jam packed with injured Soul Reapers from different divisions. Ichigo and I said goodnight and I went into my room to retire for the night. I immediately noticed some clean white robes on the table beside my bed and I gladly changed into them. I yawned and slipped underneath the covers.

_Man, this whole week's going to be hectic, that's for sure_.

I distinctly remembered some of the things that would happen, but was too far off to actually think about them in full.

"Goodnight, everyone. Sweet dreams." That was the last thing I said before I was sound asleep. Meanwhile, in Hueco Mundo, things were quite different than they were in the Seireitei.

* * *

**Switch POV-Aizen, Gin, and Tousen**

The Menos Grande screeched loudly as the three traitors rode upon their hands. They clamored nosily down the spirit-particle formed pathway. As they reached the end of the Garganta, the Menos stepped out and Las Noches was just in sight.

"Thank you," Aizen said to them, although he wasn't thankful at all. Why should he be to a couple of lowly Menos? He waved them away with his hand to signal they could go back to the Menos Forest. The Menos turned and lumbered away, shrieking all the while.

"Hmph, they really are such an annoyance, aren't they Gin, Kaname?" He smirked, then noticed the two were a bit lost in thought to answer. Aizen's smile momentarily slipped.

"Why so tense, you two?"

A glare was directed towards them, announcing he was annoyed at not having been answered the first time around. He definitely didn't expect the two of them to be so worried over what just transpired since it was well planned over 110 years ago. Unless... of course, he should have known.

"It's about that Ryoka girl, is it not?"

"Ah, yes Lord Aizen. Forgive me for not answering you right away, but I've been wondering about that for quite some time now." Tousen half-bowed to him. He would have knelt if it were not for the sand below them.

"Yup! I've been wondering 'bout that too, Sosuke," Gin tried to say cheerfully, but failed miserably. Gin was seriously worried over the subject matter. Aizen knew this because his subordinate used his real name instead of 'Captain Aizen' like he normally did. This showed just how hard it was for Gin to maintain his usual composure. He was starting to slip and all because of that one little Ryoka girl. Interesting.

Tousen scoffed at the intimacy he addressed his lord. Then he turned his attention back to Aizen like the loyal servant he was. The two subordinates stared at their superior, expecting him to say something, but he just kept quiet.

"Well? What is it you want to know about her?" Aizen asked, quirking an eyebrow. He half-smirked, then turned away to walk towards Las Noches like it was of no big concern to him.

"Ah! Well... please forgive my rudeness for questioning your reasoning, but why did you let that Ryoka girl live? I mean, if what you said is true, then shouldn't we have just killed her? She could be dangerous to your plans, Lord Aizen!" Tousen said while half-bowing again and started to follow Aizen's footsteps.

Gin joined them, walking next to them. He was also wondering why he let her live, but for a different reason. Inside, he was glad that Aizen didn't kill her because then maybe the girl would be able to help him kill Aizen when the time came. She obviously sympathized with his cause so it wouldn't be difficult to recruit her. In fact, he was willing to bet that she would help him if he ever asked for it. She knew far more than he did and he was sure that she might know all of Aizen's weaknesses. With her by his side, the chances of defeating Aizen would be increased, that was for sure.

But... what if she betrayed him and told Aizen of his plans? What if she told him the real reason why he joined and the truth about his Bankai? What then?

No, even if she decided to tell Aizen about him, he would just kill her before she could open her mouth to speak. He would not let all those years of planning go to waste. Though he was pretty sure it would never come to that. He could see the pain in her eyes when she spoke of how things could have been with Rangiku. Even _he_ had been surprised and saddened at the prospect of what could have been.

But how did she know that? She obviously knew about his past, so then how...? Where did she get that information from? It couldn't have been from anyone else since not even _they _knew the extent of what she did.

Aizen had said she knew the future, but there was also something else that intrigued him. Maybe it was her immense knowledge of things? Not only did she know the future, she knew the past and present as well. That was quite an amazing ability; even he had to admit that. But in the wrong hands, it could be dangerous. He knew just how crafty Aizen was and could tell that he was up to no good.

"Ah, why indeed?" Aizen answered, making the two shiver.

"As you already know, that girl has the ability to see the future. I purposely said that because I am sure that most of the Captains already know or might have suspected by now. But she also knows a lot about us and our pasts. That was pretty obvious from the beginning considering she wasn't questioning who we were when we were in the Meeting Room..."

He paused for a second to let that sink in before he continued.

"No, she was well relaxed for someone in her position. A normal Ryoka would have tried to escape while he still had the chance, even if it was hopeless. But she somehow knew it was futile, knowing what we could do to her. Regular Ryoka would not have cared and would have attacked head on since we were the enemy. Instead, she stood her ground and answered the Head Captain's questions with ease and certainty like she knew all of us, which is strange even in itself..."

He paused again and the two leaned in closer. Gin the most since this was what he was wondering himself. Of course, trust Aizen to already have figured things out.

"Her eyes and attitude held respect towards the others while defiance towards us. Did you notice how she was trying to goad me by flaunting her knowledge? The question is... where did she get all that information from? She couldn't have gotten it from Urahara because not even _he_ knows about the things she spoke of. And that also brings about the question on how she can see into the future..."

He immediately changed subjects as he turned towards Gin. The two were startled at the sudden movement and stumbled back a bit.

"Gin, you said you didn't see her with the Ryoka boy and his little group at the gate, now didn't you?"

Aizen looked at him and Gin knew it was utterly futile to lie in order to cover up for the girl. He knew that Aizen liked to keep tabs on the people that interested him. That meant he already knew who the Ryoka boy was traveling with, and the girl was not one of those people. She came in later on in the equation. He glowered inwardly as he told the truth.

"Yes, Captain Aizen. She was definitely not with them when I was at the gate."

"And you said that she arrived inside the Seireitei before they even hit the barrier field, am I correct?"

Gin tensed at the question. The bastard was playing with him and he knew it. Damn! He should have just kept his mouth shut. But... he himself was wondering why Aizen was inquiring about this. What did this have to do with the girl? Could it have some significance unknown to him? What the hell did Aizen know that he didn't?

At the time of the invasion, he thought she was a threat to him so he had deemed it okay to tell Aizen all that he could about her. Izuru had met and talked to her in person for a while when he was fighting Toshiro. But when he tried to question Izuru to get more information, all he said was that all they were there for was to save Rukia Kuchiki. He knew that Izuru was hiding something from him but he didn't press the kid any further for fear of arousing suspicion. He had looked on edge when he came back and it was only after he talked with the Ryoka girl did this happen. Most likely, the girl warned Izuru to stay away from him.

Now he was glad that he didn't press any further. It was bad enough that Aizen might have something on the girl that could harm or blackmail her. Oh, how he regretted ever giving the information to Aizen.

"Yes, Captain Aizen." He discreetly bit his inner cheek to keep from growling at the man.

"Hmm, then that also leaves the question of how she got in before the others." Aizen mused to himself as he stopped walking to think it over.

"But... Lord Aizen, that still doesn't explain why you didn't kill her or at least took her with us so you could question her," Tousen interrupted with an outstretched hand to empathize his point.

"Ah yes, I forgot about that. It is true that she has the ability to see the future. That _could_ be a great liability for us. I say _could_ because she is not a threat to us at the moment." He cut off Tousen and continued to speak.

"You see, with her ability to see the future, she could have easily stopped our plans from the moment she came here. She could have told the others what I was going to do and could have even acted by herself if they did not believe her. Still, she did not do either one..."

Cue pause and suspension.

"Why would she give up that chance unless there was some kind of reasoning behind it? Whether she knows it or not, it does not matter. That reasoning, according to my calculations, is very simple and basic to comprehend..."

Another pause as the two looked on in absolute fascination. Oh yes, he was certainly enjoying himself at their expense. The bastard.

"She didn't tell anyone about the future, at least not outright, for fear of _changing_ the future she already knows. She _thinks_ she has the advantage _because_ of the fact she knows everything that's going to happen and acts accordingly to that..."

The two stepped back in understanding as they thought it over.

"If she did something or prevented an event that was supposed to happen, she herself runs the risk of having something completely unexpected happening to her or to the others. And it's _because_ of that fact that she isn't a hindrance to our plans in the least. Well, not as of right now, but that could all change later on in the future," he stated menacingly.

"Hmmm? Whadda ya mean by that, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked curiously, tilting his head to the side. He was wondering what that meant for the girl. If Aizen had something bad planned for her, then he would have to try and help her since she was very valuable to his cause of killing Aizen.

"And that brings me to the second part of Kaname's question."

They continued from their break back to walking towards their new home.

"I purposely left her alive because I deemed that she would be useful to us in the near future. Her abilities will come in handy, that's for sure. And she has exceptional powers for someone like herself."

"Someone like herself, Lord Aizen?" Tousen inquired, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, someone like herself. You see, she is indeed a human but there's something special in her case. Namely, she is a human _soul_. If she were like the other humans that came with the Ryoka boy, she wouldn't have been able to Shunpo or cast Kido spells. And if she were like that Ryoka boy, she would already have her own zanpakuto..."

Pause

"She is indeed an intriguing soul. Normal human souls would automatically go to the Rukongai, but something else must have happened when the konso took place for her. Maybe that's why she ended up in the Seireitei... or it could have something to do with her powers. In any case, she has the ability to become an exceptional Soul Reaper with a bit of training."

Another pause

"Yes, I left her alive and let her go free so that she could become even more powerful. And when I deem that she will be most useful to me, I will take her for myself and she will help me in my cause. Still, as I said before, that could all change. With her training and new-found strength, she might become independent and change her way of thinking. If that happens, she will indeed become a threat to us and we will have no choice but to kill her."

"I see, Lord Aizen. But that still leaves the fact that she knows a lot about us. What if she knows about the Espada and decides to give information about them to the Soul Reapers?" Tousen asked. Aizen turned, looking at him with his brow furrowed.

"Yes, I am well aware of that. Let her give them all the information they want. It does not matter to me. True, some of the information will be useful, but... it all works out for the best. Sacrifices need to be made in order for my plan to work. When the time comes to take her away, she will most likely have given out the information that she thinks will be helpful in stopping us. By then, it will be too late."

Cue confusion and tilting of heads.

"All we need to do is make her tell us all that she has told the Soul Society and take the right actions to counter it. I will have all the information I need to take down the Soul Society with her help. That is why I purposefully told the Soul Reapers that she can see the future. They will want to use her to their advantage. But it will all be for naught. Let the Soul Society have their fun as they get their hopes up high. We shall soon take that away and watch as those pathetic creatures wallow in their own demise," he spat out in disgust as the three reached Las Noches.

The front doors opened to allow them inside. Gin immediately stopped upon hearing what Aizen had in store for the girl. Aizen noticed this and turned to face him.

"Coming, Gin?" Aizen smirked.

"Yes, sir."

Gin looked back across the landscape of Hueco Mundo. He seemed to be searching for something. An expression of worry was etched onto his face as his smile faded slightly. His eyes opened to reveal sad light blue ones. Then he shook his head and went inside as the doors behind him. His regular smile and eyes were back on his face as he took his spot on the right-hand side of Aizen. No one would have ever guessed that something was bothering him. They walked down the halls and into a room where ten mysterious figures sat around a table. They too sat down to discuss their plans for the future.

**End POV**

* * *

_Awesomeness, right? I told you. Woot, woot! Anyway, this is the rewritten chapter and I hope you guys liked it! Now we got to see what Aizen has in store for Jenny in the future. And we got to learn the madness behind his actions in telling the Soul Society about her 'seeing the future'. Thanks to _**SwirlzSmile**_ for beta-reading this chapter!:D_

_And I tried to portray Gin as a somewhat sympathetic and kind guy even though some of you may argue that he's one of the bad guys. Well in my opinion, he's **not** and that's why I chose to make him care for Jenny since it was revealed in the manga that the only reason he joined up with Aizen in the first place was to kill him. With that in mind, I made him back talk Aizen in his mind since that's what he would most likely do since he hates the guy. Plus, I have plans for Jenny and Gin in the future so that's also why I chose to have Gin's outlook on Jenny soften._

_But you have to remember that his POV on Jenny changed through **time**. It wasn't an immediate switch from hating her to actually liking her. Having Jenny saying she cared and considered him as a friend was basically the starting point of their friendship. Aizen revealing his plans only served to add to this. Now, it's also because she knows what his real goal is and that's why he's also trying to get her on his side. If Jenny tells Aizen about his plans then it's all over. And Gin knows that Aizen would try to get intel on his subordinates loyalty to him. That's just the kind of guy he is. So keep in mind that helping Jenny is also for his own benefit too._

_I hope this doesn't make him too sappy or too nice so much so that he's OOC in the story. I tried my best to keep him in character. I also tried my best to make him have an accent since that's how he talks, but...I'm not sure I did it correctly. Just bear with me for now on how his accent is in the story. Thanks guys! And thank you to _**HTM**_ for pointing out the OOCness in Byakuya! I really appreciate it and I fixed that part up a bit. I hope that it is somewhat more in Byakuya's character now. It might not be perfect, but at least I tried! Also, please excuse any other OOCness in here or in later chapters. This is my first story so I'm still trying to get the hang of it! Thanks for understanding everyone!:)_

_Oh, and thanks to all those who reviewed! I really appreciate it guys! And please, please, please review! Thanks in advance! Byes! Until next time!XD_


	15. Talking with the Head Captain

**Chapter 14-Talking with the Head Captain**

* * *

**Flashback**

"Hey Jen-Jen!" Kaylee yelled out to me.

"Hehe, hey girl!" I giggled as she ran towards me. We hugged each other when we met.

"Can't... breathe" I wheezed as she squeezed the living daylights out of me. She let go and I immediately sucked in all the air I could.

"Haha, oops! Sorry about that~!"

"Man, it's been so long since I've last seen you, Kaylee! How are you?"

"Yup! It totally has been and I'm fine, thank you!"

We walked together to her front door and she opened it. We stepped inside and I took off my jacket, putting it on the couch since the house was warm.

"So, what do you want to do now that you're here?" she asked me as I took off my shoes.

"Hmm, I don't know."

"Well then how about we watch some Bleach episodes upstairs? Pretty please?" She tilted her head and pouted.

"Haha, okay."

I smiled and she nodded happily. It wasn't any secret that she liked watching Bleach. No wait, she _loved_ watching Bleach. After all, I was the one who got her into it. Coupled with my own love for Bleach and that puppy dog pout of hers, well... I just couldn't say no. She was my first best friend ever in the whole entire world. I would do anything, _anything_ at all, to make her happy. I was extremely loyal and protective of my friends. If anybody messed with them... let's just say that they would regret it.

"Yays~! I'll go get the pocky!"

She raced towards the kitchen and I chuckled, sitting down in one of the chairs near the door. It had been a month since I last saw her. Since we started high school, everything just went downhill for the both of us. I was sent to a private Catholic high school while Kaylee was sent to one with a really bad reputation for gun shootings, pregnancies, and gangs.

I was really worried for her safety. I knew she wouldn't do anything bad or go into _that_ kind of crowd, but still... it was really bothering me. I had a lot to deal with on my end too. Keeping straight A's all the time, school, homework, parents, and even trying to fit in as a freshman. To say the least, it was all so... frustrating.

The biggest concern on my mind was something completely different and by far the worst. And that, my friends, was my friendship with Kaylee. My friendship with her was dwindling. I could tell she was starting to move on. She always talked about her _other_ friends when I was around and that caused me to realize something. She had her life... and I had mine. Who was I to interfere with it?

The realization broke my heart. We had been friends for more than 10 years. I knew that I needed to let go, but... I just couldn't. We had been through so much together and I didn't want our friendship to end. My fists clenched as I thought about it. My eyes closed as tears threatened to spill.

"Hey Jen, what flavor pocky did you wan- Jenny! Are you alright?" She rushed over to my side when she noticed I was in pain.

"Huh? Oh yeah, everything's fine," I opened my eyes and nodded. I forced a smile, but I could tell she wasn't buying it.

"O...kay."

"Really, I'm fine girl. Come on, let's go!" I beckoned for her to follow me, helping her carry the snacks and drinks up to her room. She shouted cheerfully and followed. This time I had a real, genuine smile plastered on my face.

_As long as I can remember these times we share together, then I'll be fine. I'll live my life a little longer and try to see where I'll go from here. Things change in life all the time. This is no exception. Even though I can't stand the way my life is right now, I'll try to do my best. I seriously hope that I can though._

I sighed as she closed the door behind her.

About 3 weeks later... I died.

**End Flashback**

* * *

Sniff! Sniff!

I wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face. The morning sunlight peered through the blinds as I tried to shield my eyes from its glare.

It was just a dream.

"Ugh!" I groaned as I sat up. My wounds were still stinging. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as before. I reminded myself to thank Unohana later for healing them. I sighed as I remembered the dream. It had been a long time since I could actually think about my life back then. Even though it wasn't _that_ long, it still felt that way to me. Of when I was... alive.

Kaylee was my lifeline in that world and the reason why I even bothered to live. She was that ray of sunshine, that sliver of hope that I clung onto so desperately. She understood me like no one else. She was the only thing, the only real proof I had, that reminded me of my old life. The one where I used to be at the top of my class, the role model of my middle school. That I was a _somebody_.

And then when I started high school... I was a _nobody_. No one knew me. All my friends either moved away or went to high schools that were different from mine. I was all alone to fend for myself in a world that was completely foreign to me. Sure, I made a couple of new friends. But to me that friendship all was so fake. I had only just gotten to know them whereas I knew Kaylee and my other friends from junior high for years. My old friends were like family to me and it was really hard to say goodbye to them and start over in a brand new school.

The forced smiles and the forced hellos and goodbyes. They were all so sickening and I had just about enough of it. I had been there for about 2 months and I hated every single moment of it. When I started high school, I just couldn't be myself. I had to put on an act that said I looked fine, but in all actuality... I wasn't. Everything I once knew so well was taken away from me and torn apart. It had slipped out from under me in a single instant. It was just a distant memory in my mind and nothing more.

In the beginning, I didn't want to _change_. But I did, or more specifically, my life did anyway. All I wanted to do was _change_ **_back_**. Or at least change, and be someone else that was well-known in my school. A little popular, like I was back then, but not too popular like those bratty kids who think they're all that. Not at all like this lonely freshman girl trying to fit in with the rest of the people there.

My life sucked in that world. Period. And I hated it. And then the one thing that kept me going was my friendship with Kaylee. Even _that_ was changing. I quietly wondered how she was doing. Would she even miss me? And my family? What about my mom? Would she ever forgive me for saying those awful things to her? How much time has passed since I died in my world, since I came into Bleach? Time here may be different than over there, so it could have been months, maybe even _years_ since I left.

Suddenly there was a knock on my door. I shook my head to clear those thoughts away. Knowing I had died and left my entire life behind was really starting to take its toll on me.

"Come in!" I said politely, wiping away the rest of my tears as Captain Unohana stepped in.

"Ah, good morning Captain Unohana!" I smiled cheerfully, bowing my head to her. Right now I needed a distraction and I was glad that Unohana would be the one to help me with that.

"Hmm, more like good afternoon, little one," she said, returning my smile. My eyes widened comically as I processed that last part.

"It's already that late?!" I scrambled to remove the tangled bed-sheets. Unohana stopped me with an outstretched hand.

"Please sit back down. You mustn't move too much otherwise your wounds will reopen again." I immediately stopped and gulped. She didn't have that dark aura around her but still, I didn't want to take any chances. The last thing I needed was for her to get angry with me. I shuddered at the thought of what she might do to me if I did get on her bad side.

"O-Okay" I squeaked, slowly sliding back into the bed and relaxing. My stomach growled not a moment later. My face turned beet red. I mean seriously, come on! Having your stomach growl right in front of one of the Captains of the 13 Court Guard Squads? That's a real Kodak moment right there, thank you very much.

I coughed awkwardly, my face still red.

"Hehe, it's okay little one. I already ordered someone to bring you your food. They should be here any minute now," Unohana said, amusement clearly evident as we both heard a knock at the door.

"See? You may come in, please."

"Ah, excuse me," I heard an all too familiar voice say. Now this was one I hadn't heard in a _long_ time. I was excited as the door opened to reveal...

"Hanataro!"

He looked at me in surprise at the outburst. Obviously, he didn't expect me to be here since it was the sickbay. He must have thought that I was already better and was with Ichigo at this point.

_Oh right... Ichigo. I wonder how he's doing?_

"Miss Jenny! You're here! And you're alive!" His face lit up and he had a tray of food in his hands. He set them down on the table before he focused his attention back to us.

"Good afternoon, Captain Unohana, Miss Jenny," he said as he bowed.

"Good afternoon to you too Hanataro," Unohana replied back.

"Same here Hanataro! And hey! Of course I'm alive! You can't kill me that easily, you know?" I said playfully, then stopped and frowned.

"But wait a minute, Hanataro. Why are you here? I thought that you would be in trouble since you..." I trailed off when I saw his depressed expression.

"It is true that Hanataro aided you in your quest to save Rukia. Normally, this would not go unpunished. But in light of recent events, I, as well as the Head Captain and the others, are willing to overlook any Soul Reaper's actions in aiding the Ryoka. That includes Captains and Lieutenants as well."

My face lit up at the news.

"Really? That's great!" I shouted as Hanataro's mood lightened up significantly. Now Hanataro, Renji, and the others who helped us would be alright. They wouldn't get demoted, or worse, executed for their "supposed" treason.

"Yes, it is. But um, Miss Jenny, you're..." he started, then tilted his head over to point to my wounds.

"Oh these? Don't worry about them. I'll be fine."

I could tell he wasn't necessarily buying it. My wounds were made by Aizen himself so of course there was cause for worry. But he didn't need know that. My wounds spoke for themselves.

"Oh... okay, if you really say so. Well then, I'll be going now."

He turned to go and opened the door. He still had a lot of other Soul Reapers to treat since it was jam-packed from yesterday. Poor boy. He was probably really tired, but he knew he still had work to do.

"Awww, he's so sweet!" I cooed after he shut the door and walked away out of earshot.

"Yes, indeed he is," Unohana admitted. I could tell she was really proud of him with the way she was smiling.

"Ummm..." I drawled, looking at her, then at the food. She instantly knew what I was trying to say.

"Of course you may, little one."

I happily took the tray of food off the table and put it on my lap. I was beginning to drool just by looking at the delicious meal.

"Thanks for the food!" I shouted and clapped my hands together while digging in, remembering my manners in Japanese etiquette.

**MINI TIMESKIP**

"Ah~!" I sighed as I put the tray back onto the table.

"Was it good?" Unohana inquired and I nodded.

"It was delicious!"

We sat in silence for a couple minutes before she broke it.

"I heard you crying right before I came in. May I be so bold as to ask why?" I flinched at her words. It did not go unnoticed.

"I... uh... I guess I was just homesick, that's all." She closed her eyes and nodded in understanding. To my relief, she didn't pursue the matter any further. I'm sure she had a lot of questions for me, as did the others, concerning who I was and where I came from.

_She says she understands, but I don't think she does. No one does and no one can. They don't know the truth. Only I do. I can't let them know. They would be absolutely heartbroken if they did. Imagine... someone saying you're just a character in a popular TV show, knowing that your whole life was a lie and fabricated by some random person in a totally different dimension. How absolutely **devastating** that would be._

I brought my hands up to my face in horror. If someone told me that... I had no idea what I would do or how I would even respond.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have asked that in the first place. How rude of me. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

I met her worried gaze with a painful sadness.

"Oh no, it's alright. I'm fine. I was just thinking of something else, that's all. It had nothing to do with the question you asked me."

I waved my hands in the air to say that it was okay and that no harm was done. She looked at me skeptically but nodded in the end. Again, there was silence, but it was a little bit more awkward than the last. And again, she was the one who broke it.

"Jenny, the Head Captain has informed me that you are to report to his office immediately after you have eaten and taken a bath. I'm sure you would greatly appreciate that last part, so I had one of my squad members prepare a bath for you. You are more than welcome to use it now, if you wish." She was serious and all business-like, but softened up at the end as she made to stand.

"Oh, uh, thank you! And I understand. As soon as I'm finished, I'll report straight to the Head Captain."

I bowed to her as I too started to get up. As she went out the door, she told me the directions I needed to get there and that an extra Soul Reaper uniform would be available to me as soon as I walked in. I nodded and thanked her again with another bow, then went to take a brush from the nightstand. I combed my hair and straightened it out to make it look a little bit more presentable. Looking in the mirror, I could tell that I really needed a bath.

I sighed, then made my way over to the place where Unohana told me to go. She said I could use Isane's bathroom so I guess that meant I was going to be in Isane's bedroom. I felt bad about barging into someone else's room, but Captain Unohana said that Isane was out for the meantime, so it was free to use. I didn't know if it meant she was still trying to recover from her injuries that Ichigo dealt her or if she was healing the other Soul Reapers that were injured. I hoped it was the latter.

But... I should really consider myself lucky though. Most squad members had communal baths separated by gender, but the Captains and Lieutenants had their own rooms and personals baths that they could use **(1)**. How very convenient.

I walked into her room and scanned the area before I spotted the bathroom. I was actually surprised when I opened the door. It wasn't what I expected. I knew that all of Soul Society was based on the Edo Period of Japan. So when Unohana said I could use Isane's bathroom, I didn't expect anything like this. I expected something more simple and old-fashioned. Instead, what I got was a bathroom that looked like one in a modern day house. It had a bathtub, a shower head, curtains, a towel rack, soap, shampoo, a hair dryer, and basically anything else that I would consider "normal" in my world **(2)**.

I then realized that just because they were living in a style similar to the Edo period, that didn't mean they couldn't use the modern technological advances that I had back at home. After all, they did have a hair salon with a blow dryer for its customers. Ahem! Byakuya~! Cough! Cough!

_Wow! I can't believe how stupid I was being when I actually thought they would be too old-fashioned to have an actual modern-day bathroom._

I mentally slapped myself and rolled my eyes at my stupidity. Then I took off the robe and the bandages I had and slipped into the water after checking if the temperature was alright. I sighed in relief as the warm water lapped at my skin. My muscles- which were all knotted up- slowly relaxed and I felt like I was in heaven. My wounds were mostly healed so the water didn't bother me that much. In all actuality, it was quite the opposite.

I soaked for a long time before I drained the bathtub and showered. I used soap and shampoo and scrubbed all the dirt away from my hair and body, taking extra care around my shoulder. When I was done, I felt so clean and light-weight that it was totally amazing!

I grabbed a clean towel off the rack and dried myself. Then I used the blow dyer and after 6 minutes of drying and brushing, I was as good as new.

I looked around for my clothes and saw the extra Soul Reaper uniform and my supposed zanpakuto near the sink. I put the uniform on first, then I grabbed "my" zanpakuto and placed it next to my hip. I walked off to find someone who could tell me where the Head Captain's office was. To my relief, I met someone along the way who noticed my distress and confusion. She told me to go outside the Barracks, turn right, and then keep on going straight until I reached the 1st Squads Barracks. I bowed and thanked her, then continued on with my journey.

"I'm going to need to memorize these roads if I ever want to get anywhere around here. What would I do if I ever get lost then?" I mumbled to myself.

After a good 15 minute walk, I arrived at the 1st Squad Barracks and one of the squad members greeted me. He led me through the halls and knocked on a door which I assumed to be the Head Captain's quarters as a gruff voice sounded out.

"Come in," the Head Captain said and we did.

"I have brought one of the Ryoka in, Head Captain. She says you wish to speak with her?" he asked a little timidly, but still held his cool.

"Indeed. You may go."

The guy nodded and walked away as the doors closed with a bang. There was no going back now. We stared at each other until the old man spoke. Well, not really spoke- more like commanded.

"Sit."

I immediately obliged as I spotted an extra chair near his desk full of papers. I noticed that it was not normally there. I didn't remember seeing it in Bleach. It was probably for this "special" occasion.

I quietly waited for whatever he had to say next. I wasn't that nervous. I mean okay, maybe a little, but not a lot. I knew he wouldn't hurt me or anything. He just wanted me to answer some questions I knew he had and that needed to be asked sooner or later.

But... I also realized I had a lot of information and that in the wrong hands, it could become a potential threat to the entire Soul Society. Now _that_ had me really worried.

What if he just pretended to be nice to me to get out all the information he needed, then kill me later on in the future? Surely he wouldn't be _that_ heartless. Still... from what I've seen and experienced, I knew that it wasn't improbable.

He had no qualms whatsoever in the Winter War on sacrificing the other Captains when he was attacking Aizen with one of his fire techniques. He would do anything to protect the Soul Society and the balance of the worlds. Why would killing a "supposedly" innocent little girl that could prove to be lethal be any different? I say "supposedly" because they still didn't know the full extent of my abilities- and to tell you the truth- I didn't either.

"First of all, Ryoka girl, let me thank you for all that you've done." He looked at me with his eyes still closed. I stayed silent and regarded him with interest.

"You have tried to warn the others- myself included- that something was amiss. That something else was going on besides Miss Kuchiki's execution. On behalf of the 13 Court Guard Squads, I thank you for your efforts and that I am truly sorry for not listening to you beforehand."

He was rather stiff about it, not used to thanking humans- especially a little human girl- like this. But I could see the sincerity in his eyes as he opened them to peer at me from where he was sitting. I smiled and nodded to show that I accepted his apology. I could understand where he was coming from though. He was the Head Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads and a leader/role model for the entire Soul Society. It was hard for him to admit that he made a grave mistake, but I commended him silently for doing so.

Plus there was the fact that I was one of the Ryoka who managed to injure some of his most trusted subordinates, so I didn't blame him for doubting me in the beginning. But still, he would have to learn to trust me, along with Ichigo and the others, if he ever wanted to have a chance at defeating Aizen and the Arrancars in the upcoming Winter War.

"Yes, I understand Head Captain. Please say no more." I was as gentle as I possibly could. I almost barfed at the sweet tone. I still didn't like him all that much, but I had to be nice if I wanted to stay alive. I would be dead meat if I ever had another outburst like the one at Sokyoku Hill.

"It has also been brought to my attention that you can see the future." He opened his eyes.

I stiffened. I knew that meant he was really interested in what I had to say and that he was worried about what my response would be. I tensed as I prepared to hear the question I dreaded.

"How is that even possible?" He leaned forward, hands folding together on his desk.

Oh yes, he was going to enjoy listening to the explanation I came up with. Note obvious sarcastic tone. Now reader, I wasn't dumb, nor was I stupid. The time I spent soaking in the water was time well spent going over what I was going to say.

_Well, time to put this baby in action_.

I smirked inwardly as I straightened up in my chair.

"Simple, Head Captain. I have dreams. Or to be more precise, I have premonitions of you all."

I waited anxiously for his response. How would he take the news? And okay, so maybe it's totally unoriginal. But who the hell cares? This is Bleach. Anything can happen here so why not have dreams that let you see into the future? I mean, if Orihime has the ability to reject things that happened and trespass into God's domain, why not this too? It's just as equally far-fetched but still plausible.

He had to take it. In all actuality, it was the only thing that made sense and it was the only thing that wouldn't give away the fact that they were manga characters. It may seem weird to a lot of people, but hey, everything in Bleach is weird one way or another, right?

"You have... dreams of us, you say?" he repeated skeptically and I nodded, hoping that he would take the bait. He closed his eyes and looked like he was in deep thought.

A couple minutes went by. Then a couple more. I was starting to sweat inwardly but I had to keep calm on the outside to make this strategy work.

_Please! Please just say that you believe me! I don't have a plan B. I didn't have enough time for one. So please, just take it!_

This was not good, not good at all. In my mind, this was all supposed to go smoothly, not at all like this. Or maybe I was over-thinking this? Of course he would have to have some time to think about it, but... the silence was really starting to get to me. My past fears started to resurface as I gulped. What would I do if he actually thought that I was more trouble than I was worth? What would I do if he tried to.. to kill me right now?

I looked around the room to find somewhere to escape if it ever came to that. There was the ledge near me, but as I looked over it I could see that it was a long way down. Even if I shunpoed down to safety, Yamamoto would still catch me and then I would be in even more trouble.

Silence still filled the air and just as I was about to have a mini-panic attack, he spoke again.

"So... what else can you 'see' in these dreams of yours and how long have you had them?" He reopened his eyes and looked at me grimly. I breathed a sigh of relief.

_Yesssss! He actually bought it! Score!_

I cheered inwardly, doing my happy dance in my mind. Then I focused back on the question. He could probably tell if I was lying so the best way to go about this was to tell the not-so-truthful truth. I just hoped it was the right thing to do.

"Well, I've had these dreams for about two months now. And in my dreams, I have also 'seen' the past, from 110 years ago when Kisuke Urahara first became Captain up until now."

His eyes widened in a considerable amount of surprise as he digested the information. Hey, I didn't blame him. If someone told me they knew what I did from 110 years ago up until that very moment, I'd be pretty freaked out too by that point. It almost seemed like he would have a heart attack and I was actually considering getting ready to help him if he did.

Hehe, would you look at that? Head Captain Yamamoto... death by shock from a little Ryoka girl.

Okay, okay, I know it's not that funny but hey, it's kind of true isn't it? We all know that it could probably happen because of his old age. But the chances of that happening is close to 1%, so let's not talk about that.

After the Head Captain calmed down, I could tell he was having flashbacks of what happened 110 years ago. Well now that I've brought it up, I guess I could tell him what really happened and who was actually behind it.

"Head Captain, you know that it wasn't Urahara who committed those crimes back then, don't you? It was actually Aizen and he framed Urahara for it. All of what Urahara said of Aizen was true. Aizen was the real perpetrator, not him."

Now, I would normally refer to Urahara as Kisuke, but it would look disrespectful if I said that so causally, especially in this case. I glanced over at Yamamoto from where I was sitting. He stiffened again in his chair, but sighed as he made to comment.

"Yes, I see now that we were all deceived by Aizen. Even after all these years... we were still under his control. That brat... probably laughing at us right now for being so gullible and not noticing his trickery."

I heard him mutter under his breath. Then I saw a very rare glimpse of a huge depression cloud hanging over his head. Oh geez! I needed to wrap this up quickly, otherwise I'd have a sulking grandpa on my hands. I also needed to make sure that he would be open to the idea of Kisuke aiding the Soul Society in the future. Of him and the others trying to make amends for what they'd done to Kisuke and the Vizards- or at least try to.

I knew that Kisuke and the other Vizards wouldn't be all too happy with the idea of Soul Society reaching out to them after all these years... but in order to defeat Aizen, this was totally necessary.

_Well, here goes nothing._

"Head Captain, I know this may be very bold of me to request, but this is pertinent to the matter concerning Aizen. Would you please consider... contacting Kisuke Urahara and allowing him and the other Vizards to aid you in the fight against Aizen?" I tilted my head to the side. I knew I was being too hopeful, but he needed to have Kisuke on Soul Society's side, otherwise it was all over.

He was the one who would make the gate that would lead Ichigo to the fake Karakura Town. He had to help the Soul Society, he just had too. Not that all those hard feelings could ever be forgotten, but in order to kill Aizen and make him pay, Kisuke would have join up even if he didn't really like the idea. Well, of course I knew that Aizen didn't die, but this time, I would make sure he did.

But anyway, I wouldn't blame him if he didn't say yes right away to aiding them, but of course there was also a nice side to Kisuke too and I was pretty sure he would say yes after a while. You just didn't see his nice side too often because he seems so mysterious and shady most of the time.

Hell, what am I saying? He_ is_ mysterious and shady since you never really know what he's planning. Just like a certain someone we all know, except that Kisuke isn't trying to take over the world and become God.

I saw the old man stiffen as he heard my request. I could tell he was about to say that it couldn't be done when he caught the look in my eyes. It was one that said I knew something that he did not concerning the fight with Aizen. That this was not something he could turn down. If he didn't do what I asked, then something valuable- albeit he didn't know exactly what it was- would be lost and the chances of defeating Aizen would be lessened considerably.

I waited with baited breath as he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and got up from his chair. He paced the room back and forth with much, much deliberation on his part.

He suddenly stopped pacing and looked at me, finally relenting.

"Okay then, child. I will try to... contact Urahara... and consider having him... aid us in the future..." He hesitantly trailed off as he walked near the railing of his office and looked towards the sky.

"...but it will not be easy."

He sighed with his head bowed down. It seemed like his age was taking a toll on him at this point. I could see how much more wisdom and experience he had over me and I slightly admired him for that. I nodded my head in relief.

"I never expected it to, Head Captain. Nor will it ever be."

I responded with a sudden matureness that made even the Head Captain himself impressed with me. Well, that's what I gathered from the expression he was making. It was one of approval and marvel. He knew that I understood it would take some time for this to work. He was glad that I was able to comprehend just how hard this would be for him... as well as the other Soul Reapers and the Vizards.

Normally, I would have tried to comfort him and say that it would be alright and that it would all work out somehow. But this was real life, not Bleach the manga/anime anymore. I knew it wouldn't easy, not in the least. I had matured from when I had first came here and it showed in my speech and actions.

I was proud of myself, I really was. I would need my new-found maturity to help the others in the future. And I knew that I would continue to grow even more during my stay here.

He nodded, then went back to his desk and sat down. "I have some other questions for you that will need explanations. Where are you from and what exactly are you?"

I raised my eyebrows at that last part.

_What the hell? Didn't I already establish that I was a human?_

But as for the first question, that was easy. I already told myself that I would lie to them on some things. Where I came from would definitely have to stay a secret. I don't think they would take it too well if I told them I came from the United States. Did they even have a U.S. version of the Soul Society? To this day, I still don't know the answer to even though I had the opportunity to ask him** (3)**.

"Oh, I'm actually from Karakura Town. I lived there all my life with my mom and aunt. I'm actually an only child, so I don't have any siblings. We were all really close and we loved each other... that is, until the accident we had..." I trailed off with certainty and a little bit of sadness in my voice to make it more believable.

Yeah, I knew it wasn't true. Well, the accident part anyway, not the one where we all loved each other. We seriously did all love each other no matter what happened. Even if we said some really nasty things to each other, we would always get over it. We were still family after all. I was the only one that had an accident, not my mom or my aunt. But the others didn't need to know that. This was just for insurance so that they wouldn't try to go to the World of the Living in a gigai and try to meet them.

Most likely they would do that to gain information about me while in disguise if they ever found out that my family was alive in their "world". But of course, my family isn't from their "world" so it would be useless anyways. Which would then prove to them that I was lying about my origins and I certainly didn't need that. And I definitely didn't need the Captains snooping around trying to verify if what I was telling them was true or not by them asking my family questions.

So long story short, telling them that my family was alive was a big no-no in this case. To say that they were dead was a much better choice since it wouldn't cause too many problems. I would be the only one to know the truth.

But wouldn't they be able to find my mom and aunt in the Rukon District if I told them they had died in Karakura Town? I mean, if they had died, wouldn't they have to cross over to the Soul Society like all the other souls?

Well to be honest, the answer would be no. The Captains wouldn't be able to find them no matter how hard they looked.

It's very rare to find your dead family members in the Soul Society since there's just too many souls. That's another reason why I chose to tell Old Man Yama that my family was dead. He would never be able to track them down and he knows that. And that way he'll just let it go and leave me alone. But what I really needed to find out was what he meant by 'what exactly am I?'. Before I could question him about that, he interrupted.

"Oh really? Hmm, now that is strange, very strange indeed..." He rubbed his beard and looked deep in thought.

"Wha... Head Captain, what do you mean by that? And what did you mean by what exactly am I? I thought I already told you that I was a human."

I was seriously confused. I needed answers and I needed them now! This was starting to creep me out. And if that was the case, would it have any effect on the future? Would there be any consequences or negative impacts from what I was about to learn?

"Hmmm, well I have no doubt you are, but there is something... different ...about you than those of your other human friends."

"Wait... what? I'm different from the others? How so?" I still asked, shifting nervously in my seat.

"Well, for one thing, you can shunpo and cast kido spells like a regular Soul Reaper. And for another, you have very high spiritual powers- one that resembles a Soul Reaper's. That makes you different from your other human friends."

He paused to allow this to settle in.

"In this case, you are more like that Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki. But unlike him, you said no such thing of being a Substitute nor did you say that you had your own zanpakuto. The only thing that I can conclude from these facts and from what you have just told me, is that..." He trailed off while my eyes widened and I answered for him.

"...Is that I'm actually a human _soul_..."

I was shocked by this but then mentally slapped myself. I forgot to tell them that I was _dead_. I just told them that I was a human so they must have assumed I was like Orihime, Chad, and Uryu with those special abilities of theirs since I was traveling with them. Oh wow, way to make things even more complicated than it should have been, Jenny! And to think I was about to have a panic attack from all that unnecessary worry. Really?!

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Head Captain! I was so into the moment in the Captain's Meeting Room that I forgot to tell you that I had died right before I came here. I was in a car accident and that little detail just slipped right through my mind. So then yes, I'm actually a soul, a completely normal _human soul_." I bowed a little in my chair to say that I was truly sorry.

Yes, I was no longer a human. I was a simple soul, a ghost of what I used to be. The thought itself was depressing but I knew that I would have other things to look forward to. Because I was a soul now, it would be even easier for me to become a Soul Reaper which is why I have the ability to shunpo and do kido spells. A human soul can train to become a Soul Reaper if they have enough spiritual energy to do so.

"It is alright, child. At least that answers some things. But then again, you are not a completely 'normal' human soul. You still have your memories of when you were alive. Memories you have from months ago when you first had those dreams. That was what I meant by saying that it was strange," he replied as I processed the information.

"...You're right, Head Captain. From my dreams, I know that normal souls and even regular Soul Reapers have no memories of their past life. They only have very vague memories of when they died." I said slowly, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

"Yes, you are correct. But I wonder why you have retained your memories. I have a theory about it, but I would like to know what you think. Do you have any idea as to why that is?" He quirked an eyebrow at me, waiting for my response.

"No, not really... actually, wait a minute, I think I do."

Something dawned on me. I remembered in the beginning I stated that I didn't come over to the Soul Society with konso, so that must be one of the reasons why I have still have my memories intact. Of course, I didn't actually believe that, but it's really the only thing that the Head Captain will accept. If I told him that I traveled between dimensions and maybe that was why I kept them, well... I don't think that would sit too well with him.

I truly think the real reason I had my memories intact was because I came from another world. So wouldn't it make sense if some of their laws didn't pertain to me? I was an exception to this rule _because_ of that. I didn't know how else to explain it. I really hoped it made sense because it sort of did to me. Still, I was glad that when I died I didn't lose all my memories of when I was alive. I would need them to help Ichigo and the others. Even if they _were_ a heavy burden to bear recalling all of the good and bad times, it was still a necessity to keep them.

"Yes... I think that's it. Head Captain, there is something here called a konso and I know that it allows souls who have just died to cross over to the Soul Society. Thing is, I had no konso when I died. I remember getting hit by that car and waking up in one of the forests in the Seireitei. I think maybe it's because I had no konso that allowed me to retain my memories..."

I waited to see what he would say. I hoped that he would buy it because I didn't know if I could come up with something else.

"Hmm, now _that_ is most unusual. Not _once_ has this happened before." His eyes were wide as he looked at me in interest.

_Ohhhh, but there will be. You have no idea how wrong you are, Head Captain._

I remembered Senna and how she had her memories of when she was alive. They would be still intact, albeit a little hazy and confusing to her. That was because she would have all the memories of other souls in her, as well as her own. But that's another story to tell for another time.

_Hmm, maybe that's why I didn't land in the Rukongai earlier, now that I actually think about it. I didn't have a konso so that would mean I wouldn't have arrived there. When you have a konso, you get sent to the Rukongai. That actually makes sense... kind of._

"I see now. You came here without a konso. That, along with your abilities and powers, may be the reason why you still have your memories. In any case, you have the capability to become an exceptional Soul Reaper with a bit of training."

I perked up in my seat. This was it. This was what I had been waiting for.

"Since you are a soul, it wouldn't be that difficult for you to train to become a Soul Reaper. If you use your powers and abilities to help us defeat Aizen in the future, I will see to it that you are to be trained in the art of the Soul Reaper."

My eyes lit up at that. Yesssssss! This was so awesome! I was actually going to become a real Soul Reaper! This was like a dream come true for me! I couldn't wait to begin training!

I composed myself and looked straight at the Head Captain.

"I would be honored to help, Head Captain. I will gladly train to become a Soul Reaper."

I stood up and bowed to him, all the while maintaining a serious attitude. I needed to leave the impression that I was ready for this... that it wouldn't be a waste of anyone's time. I would make sure he wouldn't regret this decision.

I could tell it was about time for me to go because the sun was setting. He stayed in his seat and nodded to me.

"Then I will set up the arrangements as soon as I possibly can and I will tell you what you will be doing in order to become a Soul Reaper. I will call for you to discuss the future in frequent sessions as per our agreement and I expect you to tell me everything you know. Do you understand?"

He opened his eyes to look at me grimly. This was_ not_ a joke. I knew that I would be dead meat if I stepped out of line or betrayed his trust. The information I gave would be enough to determine their victory if used the right way.

"Yes sir, Head Captain. I fully understand the terms and I will do my best to ensure that your decision will be worth it," I spoke determinedly, bowing my head.

He sighed, then closed his eyes again.

"Thank you for your time then. You may go now, little one." I immediately bowed again, then turned to leave the room. Before I could take a step in the direction of the door, he called me back.

"Oh, and I meant to give this to you before you left..." He trailed off as he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled something out. Or in this case, two somethings.

"Ah! My clothes... a-and my IPod Touch!" I exclaimed as I rushed forward to take them from him.

"Oh my God! Thank you so much! But how did you...?"

"Don't thank _me_, child. Thank _Shunsui_ for bringing them to me for safekeeping."

I tilted my head at that confession.

_Kyoraku? Now why would he take the time to do that?_

I was confused as hell. I would have to ask and thank Kyoraku about that later when I had the time.

"Oh! But umm, what should I do about the zanpakuto I have?" I blushed as I remembered what I did to that poor girl I attacked in order to disguise myself.

"You may leave it here and I will return it to its rightful owner. And... I will try to find out their name for you so you can do whatever it is you need to take care of." His eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at my blushing face. Oh man, this was so embarrassing!

"Ah, thank you so much, Head Captain!"

I bowed yet again, still red from blushing. But I was relieved that he knew I wanted to apologize to the girl and make amends. I took out the zanpakuto I had and placed it on his desk. I assumed that I could keep the uniform on because there were always spares laying around. I was more than convinced that the girl had found a replacement, unless she liked running around in her underwear and bra.

Then, this time for real, I turned and walked towards the door to leave. They opened for me and I returned to the 4th Squad Barracks to get some rest. Of course, I didn't expect to start training within the week, because most of the Captains were injured or very busy. Plus, there would be a lot going on too, what with Arturo and the Sokyoku shards and all that other extra stuff.

But hopefully- since I knew I was in the anime- the Bount Arc would start up soon and that would give me enough time to train.

I knew I had to become a Soul Reaper. I had no choice now that Aizen was interested in me. He would most definitely send his Arrancars after me. And even if he didn't, Grimmjow or some of the others would most likely want to fight me.

The Head Captain said I was pretty powerful and that I would continue to grow, so that would probably be one of the reasons why they would target me.

I wouldn't give them the chance to capture me though nor would I give them the chance of showing them weakness. Not training to become a Soul Reaper right now would be like suicide. I had to fight in order to protect the others, myself included. There just wasn't any other way.

Plus, I had my trusty IPod Touch on hand to aid me in my quest. With it, I could go and look at the newest manga chapters to find out who won the Winter War. And I could also use it as reference if I ever forgot anything concerning Bleach. Strange thing was, it only accessed information relating to Bleach and even that in itself was limited. I found I could only read the manga and watch the anime on this one strange site I've never seen before, while everything else popped up as "No results found." No Wiki, no YouTube, no Hulu, and absolutely no forum pages were available. **(4)** Now that was really strange but I guess I shouldn't be complaining. After all, this would seriously help me later on in the future.

The only problem with that was the fact that I had to be careful who was around me when I was using it. I couldn't afford to have anyone by me. I couldn't have them asking questions as to what I was reading and stuff like that. If worse came to worse, I would just have to quickly exit out of the screen and go to my music's home page and explain to them that it was just a device for listening to songs if they ever got really nosy. Not that much of a plan, but hey, it was better than nothing!

And with that, I went to bed, knowing full well that many, many fun adventures would take place and that everything in my life was about to change again. But this time, I had a sneaking suspicion that it was for the better... for me and for the others.

* * *

_Haha Yes! The rewritten chapter is finally done! I hope you all enjoyed it! Now some of the things in this story are taken from my real life, though not all. Some things are a bit exaggerated so don't take things too seriously. Anyway, Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. The only thing I own is Jenny and some of the ideas in here like having Jenny trip and fall on Toshiro to warn him of Aizen's plans. And if there are any mistakes, just PM me and I'll take care of it. So on to the explanations in this chapter!_

_(1) I seriously don't know how the bathroom arrangements are in Bleach. If anybody knows, then please free free to PM me and I will happily change it. To me, it seems like the Captains and Lieutenants would get their own bathrooms since they're higher ranking and all. Plus, I don't think the Seireitei would build personal bathrooms for each and every single Soul Reaper there. Can you imagine all the space it would take? They already have enough buildings so why add more to the load?_

_(2) So yeah, I still have no idea what the bathrooms in Bleach would look like so I just made it up for convenience's sake. Again, if anybody knows what they look like, then please tell me and I'll fix it._

_(3) Okay, I so did not want to go into detail with the "U.S. version" of Soul Society. Frankly, I don't think there is such a thing but... maybe Kubo will tell us about it later, if at all. I didn't want to make stuff up that would alter the plot-line, so I just left it at that. I also didn't want to take the time explaining about it since it wouldn't pertain to the story at all._

_(4) The reason why Jenny's IPod shows the latest news in the manga and anime is because Kubo's mind is directly linked to it. Since Jenny is from the same world as Kubo, there would be a connection and now that she's actually __**in**__ Bleach… that just makes it even more likely for any Bleach related ideas to go into her IPod. And that also explains why she can't access anything else that a normal person with real internet connection can. Does that make sense?_

_Anyways, thank you to SwirlzSmile for beta-reading this chapter and just know that I appreciate your help with my story! You are totally awesome! And thank you to all those who reviewed! I love you guys sooooo much and you are the ones that keep me going! Please, please review and I'll see ya guys later. Byez!XD_


	16. IMPORTANT NOTICE

**IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING NEW POLICY**

Hey guys! I'm sure most of you have heard by now the awful news of what's going to happen to our MA rated stories. I am also a _big_ lover of lemons and things MA rated and I find no shame in saying it. I'm a teenager, what can I say. *shrugs*

Anyway, when I found out about this I was really angry that some of the stories I saved after years of searching are going to be deleted. Now I understand the administration's growing concern with the that level of rating, but I'm sure there is another way to handle this situation _without_ having to _delete_ peoples' precious stories they've been working so diligently on. In my opinion, that's not fair at all. They should have a chance to correct their stories instead of outright deleting them. Don't you think so too?

So instead I, along with many others who have signed this petition, agree that a new MA filtered section would be the wisest choice of action to take regarding this issue. Please help support our cause and don't let them take our cherished stories away forever! Thanks for listening you guys and you can sign the petition at the bottom of the page. Just copy and paste this message in your profile or in one of your stories and sign it, then you're good to go. You can also review or PM me and I'll be happy to add your name to my list that I have here. Make sure to spread the news too everyone! Here's the original note to the administration, btw.

* * *

Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site,

I, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now. Some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that (I believe) violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form. This is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time. So I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you find offensive. Most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be losing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server. Maybe we can get some movement on this.

**Psudocode_Samurai**

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	17. Author's Note: I'm Back!

**Author's Note: I'm Back!**

Hello my faithful readers! I'm back! *crickets chirping, then suddenly loads of rotten foods get thrown my way* Holy crap! I'm sorry! *dodges food while bowing deeply afterwards*

Anyway, last year was kind of difficult… if you know what I mean. It was junior year for me (ah yes, some of you are already shaking your heads in sympathy) and lots of crazy things went down, including nasty rumors, backstabbing friends, depression, ACTs, SATs, sleep deprivation and all that good stuff that is associated with a high school junior.

But that's all past and now I'm a senior! *does happy dance around room* So yeah, while I don't expect to start updating immediately, you can be sure to look for more chapters in the second half of the year probably around March or something along those lines. I also intend to go back and rewrite some of my already rewritten chapters for any spacing issues, grammar issues, and well, things I feel like should be rewritten in general. And to also fix up any plot holes. Haha XD

Truth be told, I've kinda gotten out of the Bleach fandom but after rereading my story and getting some really motivational reviews, I'm starting to get back into it. Just not really the current arcs that are going on in the manga, if you know what I mean. I'm probably not going to add any spoilers of the manga for Jenny until later on in future chapters… like who Unohana really is and things about the Sternritters. But you can be sure about her having information on the Fullbringers. Whether or not I have her tell the other Captains and Ichigo about them depends on how things pan out in my future chapters.

On a side note, I have started out the revising process of my rewritten chapters with the last chapter, _Chapter 14-Talking with the Head Captain. _Please check it out if you haven't already because a lot of the explanations have been updated and hopefully they make more sense now. Thanks in advance, guys~!

**Also, another very important note. I have been getting various PMs about a story being too similar to mine. The story is called **_**"Let's Do This"**_** by the super amazing **_**sisterawesomness.**_** Yes, while I admit there are things that are similar in her story compared to mine, there actually should be because I have given her **_**full**_** permission to do so. Her story was **_**inspired**_** by **_**mine **_**so thank you all ****for the concern but no illegal plagiarism has been committed. Still, I appreciate your concern and I hope you continue to enjoy my story! Also, check her story out! There are definitely things in there that I haven't been able to touch on and it's cool how she expands on my ideas and creates her own original work while using my story as a guideline. **

**Anyway, long story short, I'm so glad to be back and again, I apologize for the long hiatus. See you all in a little while and thank you all for your support and dedication to my story!^^**

**~daydreamer1008**


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